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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: wake · bulb · bass · charge · swing · racket · pass · present

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bass — the fish
  4. swing — music
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. bass — low music
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. swing — to play on
  10. charge — a price
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. pass — a permit
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. present — a gift
  17. present — there
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. present — the time now
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — electricity

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