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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: bass · rock · bear · date · season · swing · fan · cap

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. swing — to play on
  4. season — of the year
  5. cap — of ice
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. rock — music
  8. cap — a hat
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. season — in sport
  11. bear — the animal
  12. rock — a stone
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — low music
  16. swing — in golf
  17. cap — a lid
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bear — the animal
  24. swing — music

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