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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. swing — in golf
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. track — a path
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. track — to keep track
  8. swing — music
  9. bulb — for light
  10. squash — to crush
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — the season
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. track — a song
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. squash — the sport
  23. bat — the animal
  24. swing — to play on

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