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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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. tube — the underground
  3. present — there
  4. cue — a signal
  5. tube — a container
  6. swing — music
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. cue — for pool
  9. club — for golf
  10. pop — to visit
  11. swing — to play on
  12. cue — a hint
  13. bass — low music
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. pop — soda
  16. prune — to trim
  17. present — a gift
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. bass — the fish
  21. pop — music
  22. present — the time now
  23. club — for dancing
  24. club — a group

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