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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. track — a path
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. swing — to play on
  16. track — to keep track
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. stem — to come from
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. pound — a weight
  22. track — a song
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. swing — in golf

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