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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: dip · roll · court · bass · suit · pass · mug · swing

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — to fit
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. mug — to rob
  6. roll — a cake
  7. court — of a king
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. pass — a permit
  10. court — of law
  11. bass — the fish
  12. suit — in cards
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. mug — a cup
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. bass — low music
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. dip — to sink
  19. swing — music
  20. court — for sport
  21. mug — a face
  22. swing — in golf
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. swing — to play on

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