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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: track · lean · last · present · cue · swing · chair · bass

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a hint
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — there
  8. track — to keep track
  9. present — a gift
  10. bass — low music
  11. last — final
  12. lean — to bend
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — in golf
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. track — a song
  17. chair — a leader
  18. last — finally
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. lean — thin
  21. track — a path
  22. bass — the fish
  23. cue — a signal
  24. last — to go 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