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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. swing — music
  4. roll — a cake
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. lie — to recline
  7. clip — to cut
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. swing — in golf
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. clip — for paper
  22. clip — a video
  23. swing — to play on
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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