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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. bass — the fish
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bass — low music
  5. swing — music
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. suit — to fit
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. suit — clothes
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. wind — moving air
  17. pass — a permit
  18. swing — in golf
  19. perch — the fish
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. swing — to play on
  23. wind — moving air
  24. suit — in cards

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