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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. cell — in biology
  3. track — a path
  4. suit — in cards
  5. pop — to visit
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. spell — magic
  8. cell — a phone
  9. track — to keep track
  10. suit — clothes
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. pop — soda
  13. swing — in golf
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. track — a song
  16. pop — music
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — a short time
  23. swing — to play on
  24. suit — to fit

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