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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 116 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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. pop — to visit
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. pop — music
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. tube — a container
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. tube — the underground
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. pop — soda
  16. bass — low music
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis

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