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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 116 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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. wind — moving air
  4. suit — to fit
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. suit — clothes
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. swing — in golf
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. rush — hurry
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bass — the fish
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. swing — to play on
  20. pound — a weight
  21. suit — in cards
  22. fork — in a road
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. bass — low music

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