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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 124 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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  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. swing — music
  2. swing — in golf
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. suit — clothes
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. kick — in football
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bass — low music
  13. suit — in cards
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. ball — a dance
  16. chest — of your body
  17. bass — the fish
  18. chest — a box
  19. ball — a great time
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. chest — of your body
  23. swing — to play on
  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