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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. kick — in football
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. swing — music
  7. fine — high quality
  8. swing — in golf
  9. content — happy
  10. suit — to fit
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. swing — to play on
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. fine — all right
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — clothes
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. content — the amount
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. rush — hurry

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