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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. charge — electricity
  6. court — of a king
  7. swing — to play on
  8. court — of law
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bass — low music
  12. squash — to crush
  13. craft — boats
  14. charge — in control
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. mark — a grade
  18. charge — a price
  19. swing — in golf
  20. swing — music
  21. court — for sport
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bass — the fish
  24. mark — a trace

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