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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. swing — to play on
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. swing — music
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. mark — a trace
  10. swing — in golf
  11. mark — a grade
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. snap — to click
  14. rock — music
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. hand — help
  19. hand — in cards
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. bore — to tire
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. bore — to drill

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