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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. dip — to sink
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bass — low music
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. chair — a leader
  10. swing — music
  11. swing — in golf
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. suit — to fit
  15. stock — shares
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. bat — the animal
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. stock — goods
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. swing — to play on
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. branch — a division

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