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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  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 — with your hand
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rash — a series
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. scale — in music
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. swing — music
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. swing — to play on
  13. stock — shares
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. foot — a measure
  16. stock — goods
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. swing — in golf
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. scale — size or range
  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