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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 120 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  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. deal — to handle
  2. club — for dancing
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. swing — music
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. wind — moving air
  7. kick — in football
  8. swing — in golf
  9. wind — moving air
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. swing — to play on
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. club — for golf
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — a permit
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. club — a group
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. wave — with your hand
  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