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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. stock — goods
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. suit — in cards
  11. scale — in music
  12. toast — bread
  13. swing — music
  14. scale — size or range
  15. stock — shares
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. swing — to play on
  18. cap — a lid
  19. suit — to fit
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. suit — clothes
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cap — a hat
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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