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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 · charge · bark · bay · bass · pass · racket · game

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bark — to shout
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. game — wild animals
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. charge — electricity
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. bass — the fish
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. charge — in control
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. swing — in golf
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. game — a match
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bass — low music
  20. swing — music
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. swing — to play on
  24. charge — a price

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