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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pit — in a race
  3. swing — in golf
  4. cue — a hint
  5. swing — to play on
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. spell — magic
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bass — low music
  11. cue — a signal
  12. bass — the fish
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. wound — an injury
  17. cue — for pool
  18. spell — letters
  19. spell — a short time
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. swing — 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