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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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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. 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. wave — a sudden rise
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bear — the animal
  4. swing — to play on
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. season — of the year
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. deal — to handle
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bear — the animal
  19. ball — a great time
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. season — in sport
  22. swing — music
  23. suit — clothes
  24. 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