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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. swing — to play on
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. swing — music
  13. dip — to sink
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pass — a permit
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. swing — in golf
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. pound — a weight

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