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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. fine — all right
  4. swing — in golf
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. cue — a hint
  9. wax — to grow
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — an injury
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. cue — a signal
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. swing — to play on
  20. bass — low music
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. swing — music
  24. bark — to shout

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