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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. deal — to handle
  4. land — to come down
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. swing — music
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. saw — the tool
  9. land — ground
  10. swing — in golf
  11. land — a country
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bass — low music
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. kick — in football
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. swing — to play on
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. deal — an agreement

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