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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 116 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. swing — music
  3. net — after costs
  4. net — for catching
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. bass — the fish
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. tube — a container
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. net — in sport
  12. bass — low music
  13. swing — to play on
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. present — a gift
  17. present — the time now
  18. tube — the underground
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. present — there
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. swing — in golf

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