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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  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. wave — with your hand
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. court — of law
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bark — to shout
  10. swing — in golf
  11. court — for sport
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. court — of a king
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. bass — low music
  21. swing — to play on
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bass — the fish
  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