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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 124 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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. rule — a law
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. object — to protest
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. object — a thing
  9. prune — to trim
  10. firm — steady
  11. prune — to trim
  12. swing — in golf
  13. object — an aim
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. firm — a company
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. wake — a trail
  21. rule — government
  22. firm — decided
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. swing — to play on

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