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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. track — a path
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bass — the fish
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bass — low music
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. track — to keep track
  13. track — a song
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. swing — in golf
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. leaves — lets stay

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com