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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  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. swing — music
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. charge — a price
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. row — a line
  6. bear — the animal
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. bass — low music
  9. capital — money
  10. row — to paddle
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bass — the fish
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bear — the animal
  16. swing — to play on
  17. capital — a city
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — in control
  22. swing — in golf
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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