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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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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: swing · bound · bass · pitch · straw · perch · charge · bowl

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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. bass — low music
  4. perch — the fish
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bound — obliged
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. charge — electricity
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. bound — tied together
  14. swing — in golf
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. bound — certain
  19. charge — a price
  20. swing — to play on
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. pitch — completely
  24. charge — in control

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