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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. staff — a stick
  3. track — a song
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. rock — music
  8. bass — the fish
  9. staff — employees
  10. mate — a partner
  11. swing — in golf
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. swing — music
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. track — a path
  17. rock — a stone
  18. staff — employees
  19. bass — low music
  20. track — to keep track
  21. squash — the sport
  22. mate — to breed
  23. squash — to crush
  24. mate — a friend

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