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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. swing — music
  3. bass — low music
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. mug — a face
  6. wax — to grow
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. march — the month
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. rule — a law
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mug — a cup
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — the fish
  15. swing — to play on
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — a permit
  18. rule — government
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. march — music
  21. swing — in golf
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. march — the month

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