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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. shower — rain
  4. bass — the fish
  5. shower — to wash
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. season — in sport
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bass — low music
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. rock — music
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. rock — a stone
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. season — of the year
  22. swing — in golf
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. swing — to play on

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