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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. present — the time now
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. swing — to play on
  7. bass — the fish
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitch — completely
  10. chest — a box
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. present — a gift
  13. swing — music
  14. roll — a list
  15. swing — in golf
  16. chest — of your body
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. chest — of your body
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. present — there
  24. roll — a cake

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