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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. last — finally
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. stand — to bear
  5. rock — a stone
  6. swing — in golf
  7. swing — to play on
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. last — to go on
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. ball — a dance
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. bear — the animal
  15. last — final
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mark — a grade
  18. swing — music
  19. ball — a great time
  20. rock — music
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a trace
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. stand — on your feet

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