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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. He is an ace ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. court — of a king
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. court — of law
  6. swing — to play on
  7. bass — low music
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — of a plant
  10. bass — the fish
  11. root — the cause
  12. can — a tin
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. swing — music
  15. swing — in golf
  16. court — for sport
  17. can — to be able to
  18. rush — hurry
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rock — music
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. can — a tin

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