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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 120 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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bass — low music
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bear — the animal
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. craft — a skill
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. swing — to play on
  13. present — a gift
  14. pit — in a race
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — boats
  17. swing — in golf
  18. present — there
  19. swing — music
  20. present — the time now
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bear — the animal

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