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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. swing — in golf
  4. snap — to click
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. swing — to play on
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. kick — in football
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. bass — low music
  13. swing — music
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — a trace
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. craft — a skill
  19. craft — boats
  20. bass — the fish
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. bat — the animal

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