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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.

Make a worksheet

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
YesNo
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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 · object · bass · mouse · stick · lie · fine · spell

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. spell — magic
  4. spell — a short time
  5. bass — the fish
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bass — low music
  9. swing — to play on
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. spell — letters
  12. object — to protest
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. swing — in golf
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. object — an aim
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — high quality
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. lie — to recline
  21. swing — music
  22. object — a thing
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bass — the instrument

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