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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. swing — in golf
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. season — of the year
  7. swing — music
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. swing — to play on
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bass — the fish
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. stand — to bear
  17. branch — a division
  18. rush — hurry
  19. season — in sport
  20. pit — a hole
  21. pit — in a race
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bass — the instrument

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