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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. bass — the fish
  6. shower — rain
  7. swing — music
  8. spell — magic
  9. spell — a short time
  10. swing — in golf
  11. wind — moving air
  12. pit — in a race
  13. spell — letters
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. shower — to wash
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. wind — moving air
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. bass — low music
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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