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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. cap — a hat
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bass — the fish
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bass — low music
  13. stock — goods
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pop — music
  17. swing — to play on
  18. swing — in golf
  19. pop — soda
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. cap — a lid
  22. stock — shares
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — the fish

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