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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. cap — a lid
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. scale — in music
  5. season — of the year
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. swing — in golf
  10. kick — in football
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. scale — size or range
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. bass — low music
  15. season — in sport
  16. bass — the fish
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. cap — a hat
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. cap — of ice
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. swing — to play on
  24. wax — to grow

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