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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bass — low music
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. mark — a trace
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. pop — soda
  11. pop — to visit
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. pound — a weight
  14. swing — to play on
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. pop — music
  18. bass — the fish
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. swing — music
  24. swing — in golf

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