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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 120 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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. net — in sport
  3. bass — low music
  4. swing — music
  5. saw — the tool
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pop — to visit
  8. net — after costs
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. swing — in golf
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mark — a grade
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. pop — soda
  15. bass — the fish
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. pop — music
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. net — for catching
  20. swing — to play on
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. racket — for tennis

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