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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. swing — music
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. swing — to play on
  14. snap — to click
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a grade
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. mark — a trace
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. swing — in golf
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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