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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. track — a song
  3. rash — hasty
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. track — a path
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. swing — music
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. band — a music group
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. rash — a series
  15. band — a ring
  16. track — to keep track
  17. swing — in golf
  18. bass — low music
  19. swing — to play on
  20. bass — the fish
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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