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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bass — the fish
  4. swing — in golf
  5. swing — to play on
  6. root — of a word
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. swing — music
  9. drill — a practice
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bass — low music
  12. drill — army training
  13. root — the cause
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. drill — the tool
  16. root — of a plant
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — a break
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. leaves — to go away

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