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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: craft · wave · bulb · bass · chair · swing · last · season

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bass — the fish
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. last — finally
  5. swing — in golf
  6. last — to go on
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. swing — music
  11. craft — boats
  12. season — in sport
  13. swing — to play on
  14. season — of the year
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. craft — a skill
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. chair — a leader
  20. bulb — for light
  21. last — final
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bulb — for light

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