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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. swing — music
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. swing — in golf
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. object — an aim
  10. object — a thing
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. swing — to play on
  13. last — final
  14. net — for catching
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bass — low music
  17. last — to go on
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. last — finally
  22. net — after costs
  23. bass — the fish
  24. object — to protest

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