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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. content — the amount
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. swing — to play on
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bass — low music
  10. dip — to sink
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. content — happy
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bass — the fish
  17. swing — music
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. swing — in golf
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. craft — boats
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. plane — a tool

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