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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. cue — for pool
  4. swing — in golf
  5. swing — to play on
  6. kick — in football
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. pit — in a race
  10. deal — to handle
  11. cue — a hint
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. pit — a hole
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. march — music
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. march — the month
  21. march — the month
  22. swing — music
  23. cue — a signal
  24. deal — an agreement

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