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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cell · swing · wind · bass · bay · cue

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. cell — in biology
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cell — a phone
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. swing — in golf
  8. wind — moving air
  9. bass — the fish
  10. swing — to play on
  11. wind — moving air
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. bass — low music
  18. bay — a part of the sea

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