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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bass — low music
  3. swing — music
  4. swing — to play on
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. swing — in golf
  8. pass — a permit
  9. march — music
  10. cue — for pool
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. race — the arms race
  13. race — humankind
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. march — the month
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. cue — a signal
  21. cue — a hint
  22. race — a contest
  23. march — the month
  24. leaves — lets stay

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