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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bass — the fish
  3. swing — music
  4. bound — certain
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. bound — tied together
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. deal — to handle
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. mug — a face
  14. firm — a company
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. bound — obliged
  17. swing — in golf
  18. capital — a city
  19. mug — a cup
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — decided
  22. capital — money
  23. bass — low music
  24. swing — to play on

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