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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. present — a gift
  6. swing — in golf
  7. present — the time now
  8. tube — the underground
  9. staff — employees
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. court — for sport
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. tube — a container
  16. swing — to play on
  17. staff — employees
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. court — of a king
  21. present — there
  22. court — of law
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. swing — 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