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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. swing — to play on
  5. swing — music
  6. branch — a division
  7. swing — in golf
  8. season — in sport
  9. firm — decided
  10. net — in sport
  11. net — after costs
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. staff — a stick
  15. firm — steady
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. net — for catching
  19. season — of the year
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — employees
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. firm — a company

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