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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. foot — a measure
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. swing — in golf
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. pop — music
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. swing — to play on
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. mine — for digging
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. scale — size or range
  19. pop — to visit
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. swing — music
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. pop — soda

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