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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — moving air
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. current — electric
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. squash — the sport
  9. current — of water
  10. current — happening now
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. cue — a hint
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. cue — for pool
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. squash — to crush
  19. swing — music
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. swing — to play on
  22. stand — to bear
  23. swing — in golf
  24. cue — a signal

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