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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. ground — the earth
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. swing — in golf
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. ground — a position
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. spell — letters
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a partner
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. swing — to play on
  18. mate — a friend
  19. ground — crushed
  20. spell — a short time
  21. swing — music
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. spell — magic
  24. deal — to handle

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