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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. kick — in football
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. rash — a series
  5. spell — letters
  6. bass — the fish
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. swing — to play on
  12. dip — to sink
  13. rock — music
  14. swing — in golf
  15. bass — low music
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. rock — a stone
  19. spell — magic
  20. rash — hasty
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. spell — a short time
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. swing — music

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