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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. chest — of your body
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. firm — decided
  11. chest — of your body
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. swing — to play on
  14. plane — a tool
  15. firm — a company
  16. mark — a trace
  17. swing — in golf
  18. firm — steady
  19. bass — low music
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a grade
  22. chest — a box
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. stand — on your feet

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