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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. row — to paddle
  6. bass — the fish
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. lean — to bend
  13. swing — in golf
  14. swing — music
  15. swing — to play on
  16. row — a line
  17. lean — thin
  18. prune — to trim
  19. toast — bread
  20. prune — to trim
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. bass — the instrument

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