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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. rush — hurry
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. charge — electricity
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. swing — in golf
  8. rock — a stone
  9. charge — in control
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. charge — a price
  13. rock — music
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. swing — music
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. straw — dry grass

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