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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 jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. swing — in golf
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. bear — the animal
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bass — low music
  16. court — of a king
  17. court — for sport
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. bear — the animal
  20. ball — a dance
  21. mark — a grade
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. court — of law
  24. bass — the fish

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