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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 116 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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. swing — music
  4. swing — in golf
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. field — farmland
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. field — a subject
  20. bark — to shout
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. field — for sport
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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