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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. track — to keep track
  5. swing — music
  6. pop — to visit
  7. track — a song
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rush — hurry
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pop — soda
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. track — a path
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. lean — thin
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. lean — to bend
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. swing — in golf
  20. swing — to play on
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fork — in a road
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. pop — music

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