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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 116 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 · game · can · pound · bass · fine · kick · content

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. swing — music
  3. can — a tin
  4. fine — high quality
  5. kick — in football
  6. game — wild animals
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. game — a match
  9. bass — low music
  10. swing — to play on
  11. content — happy
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. can — to be able to
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. bass — the fish
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. can — a tin
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. fine — all right
  22. pound — a weight
  23. swing — in golf
  24. content — the amount

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