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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. track — a song
  3. cap — of ice
  4. track — to keep track
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. craft — boats
  7. swing — in golf
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. shower — rain
  10. cap — a hat
  11. swing — to play on
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. craft — a skill
  15. track — a path
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. perch — the fish
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. cap — a lid
  24. shower — to wash

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