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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 124 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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. suit — clothes
  3. swing — in golf
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. suit — in cards
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. ball — a great time
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. squash — the sport
  11. pound — a weight
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. suit — to fit
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. swing — music
  20. swing — to play on
  21. kick — in football
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. ball — a dance

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