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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: pop · sharp · bass · swing · bank · wave · wind · foot

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. bank — for money
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. pop — soda
  7. sharp — clever
  8. swing — to play on
  9. foot — a measure
  10. bass — the fish
  11. wind — moving air
  12. pop — music
  13. bank — for money
  14. swing — music
  15. pop — to visit
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bank — of a river
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. swing — in golf
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. bass — low music
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. foot — the bottom

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