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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 120 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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. land — to come down
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. swing — in golf
  7. bass — the fish
  8. staff — employees
  9. land — ground
  10. swing — to play on
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. land — a country
  13. object — an aim
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bass — low music
  16. object — a thing
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. staff — employees
  19. deal — to handle
  20. staff — a stick
  21. object — to protest
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. wind — moving air
  24. swing — music

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