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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 wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. swing — to play on
  3. wound — an injury
  4. stand — to bear
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. swing — music
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. scale — in music
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. saw — the tool
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. scale — size or range
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. saw — the tool
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. pass — a permit
  24. swing — in 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