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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. pop — music
  3. swing — in golf
  4. saw — the tool
  5. swing — to play on
  6. saw — the tool
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. lie — to recline
  11. stock — goods
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — to visit
  16. bass — low music
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. swing — music
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bass — the fish
  23. stock — shares
  24. lie — an untruth

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