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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. swing — in golf
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. swing — to play on
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. dip — to sink
  8. spell — magic
  9. spell — a short time
  10. drill — army training
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. swing — music
  13. rock — music
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. drill — the tool
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. drill — a practice
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. spell — letters
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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