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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bat — the animal
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — music
  6. pitch — completely
  7. swing — music
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. rest — a break
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. charge — electricity
  15. swing — to play on
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — what's left
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. swing — in golf
  20. charge — in control
  21. charge — a price
  22. wind — moving air
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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