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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bass — low music
  3. pit — a hole
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. bass — the fish
  6. swing — music
  7. pound — a weight
  8. swing — in golf
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. swing — to play on
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. straw — a straw man

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