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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. toast — bread
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bass — the fish
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. swing — in golf
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. swing — to play on
  17. bass — low music
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. dip — to sink
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. wind — moving air

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