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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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Word bank
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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. band — a music group
  5. cue — a hint
  6. firm — a company
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. band — a ring
  10. firm — decided
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bark — to shout
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. swing — in golf
  17. firm — steady
  18. swing — music
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. cue — for pool
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. cue — a signal
  24. wave — of the sea

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