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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 120 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bear — the animal
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bass — low music
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bear — the animal
  10. swing — to play on
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. swing — in golf
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bark — to shout
  15. suit — to fit
  16. stock — goods
  17. bass — the fish
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. suit — clothes
  21. swing — music
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. stock — shares

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