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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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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. swing — in golf
  3. bass — low music
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bass — the fish
  10. current — happening now
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. content — happy
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. cue — a signal
  15. current — electric
  16. current — of water
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. cue — for pool
  19. content — the amount
  20. cue — a hint
  21. swing — to play on
  22. swing — music
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. nail — for a hammer

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