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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. swing — music
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. swing — to play on
  6. bass — the fish
  7. capital — money
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. bear — the animal
  11. pass — a permit
  12. foot — a measure
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pop — soda
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. rest — a break
  17. swing — in golf
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pop — music
  23. pop — to visit
  24. capital — a city

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