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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. track — to keep track
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. pop — music
  5. game — a match
  6. swing — in golf
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. chip — for betting
  9. swing — to play on
  10. game — wild animals
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — a permit
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. bass — the fish
  15. pop — to visit
  16. track — a song
  17. pop — soda
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. swing — music
  21. track — a path
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. chip — to eat
  24. bass — low music

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