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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wind — moving air
  3. swing — to play on
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. cell — a phone
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. swing — in golf
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. toast — bread
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. wind — moving air
  14. cell — in biology
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. swing — music
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. foot — a measure

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