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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  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 — the fish
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bound — certain
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. swing — in golf
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. swing — to play on
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pass — a permit
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. bass — low music
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. board — a committee
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wake — a trail
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. bound — obliged
  21. swing — music
  22. board — to get on
  23. bound — tied together
  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