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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.

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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. dip — to sink
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. bulb — for light
  8. mark — a grade
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bulb — for light
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. swing — to play on
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. fork — in a road
  18. swing — in golf

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