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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. swing — in golf
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. rock — a stone
  5. ground — the earth
  6. swing — music
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. field — farmland
  9. ground — a position
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. deal — to handle
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. field — for sport
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bass — the fish
  18. toast — bread
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. ground — crushed
  21. field — a subject
  22. swing — to play on
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. deal — an agreement

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