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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. swing — in golf
  4. swing — music
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. lean — to bend
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. prune — to trim
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. pop — soda
  12. lean — thin
  13. swing — to play on
  14. pop — to visit
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. cell — a phone
  17. prune — to trim
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. cell — in biology
  21. pop — music
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. leaves — to go away

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