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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  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. swing — music
  3. scale — in music
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bass — low music
  10. swing — to play on
  11. kick — in football
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — to come from
  16. wake — a trail
  17. mark — a grade
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. swing — in golf
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. mark — to pay attention
  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