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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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Word bank
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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. swing — to play on
  7. file — a tool
  8. craft — boats
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. swing — music
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. file — a document
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. craft — a skill
  15. swing — in golf
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. snap — to click
  19. board — to get on
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. board — a committee
  22. file — a line of people
  23. lie — to recline
  24. pitch — completely

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