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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. roll — a cake
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. staff — a stick
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. swing — to play on
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — employees
  17. mine — for digging
  18. club — for dancing
  19. roll — a list
  20. club — a group
  21. club — for golf
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. swing — music
  24. mine — an explosive

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