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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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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: chip · swing · bass · tear · pitcher · ball · pass · suit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bass — the fish
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. chip — to eat
  8. bass — low music
  9. suit — to fit
  10. ball — a great time
  11. swing — music
  12. swing — to play on
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. chip — for betting
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. tear — to rip
  18. ball — a dance
  19. swing — in golf
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. tear — from crying
  22. tear — from crying
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. suit — in cards

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