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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. fall — to drop
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. mug — a face
  10. swing — music
  11. bass — the fish
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. mug — a cup
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pound — a weight
  17. fall — the season
  18. swing — in golf
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. bass — low music
  22. mug — to rob
  23. stock — goods
  24. stock — shares

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