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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. stand — to bear
  4. rush — hurry
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. swing — music
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. capital — money
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. club — for dancing
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. club — a group
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. swing — in golf
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. capital — a city
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. club — for golf

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