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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. bass — the fish
  3. present — there
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bass — low music
  7. cell — in biology
  8. swing — in golf
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. swing — music
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. present — a gift
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. wax — to grow
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. present — the time now
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cell — a phone
  24. wax — in the ear

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