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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: pass · kick · bass · bulb · squash · mate · swing · sharp

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. swing — to play on
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bass — low music
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. pass — a permit
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. squash — the sport
  10. bulb — for light
  11. kick — in football
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. sharp — clever
  14. swing — music
  15. bass — the fish
  16. mate — a friend
  17. swing — in golf
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. mate — a partner
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. mate — to breed
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. bulb — for light
  24. squash — to crush

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