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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 120 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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bass — low music
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — a stick
  5. clip — to cut
  6. tube — the underground
  7. swing — music
  8. staff — employees
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. clip — for paper
  11. swing — in golf
  12. mate — a friend
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. swing — to play on
  16. mate — a partner
  17. cue — a signal
  18. bass — the fish
  19. clip — a video
  20. mate — to breed
  21. tube — a container
  22. cue — for pool
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. cue — a hint

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