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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. swing — in golf
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. firm — a company
  5. swing — music
  6. squash — the sport
  7. firm — steady
  8. root — the cause
  9. swing — to play on
  10. firm — decided
  11. degree — an amount
  12. degree — temperature
  13. board — to get on
  14. band — a ring
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. band — a music group
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. degree — from a university
  19. squash — to crush
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. board — a committee
  22. root — of a plant
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. root — of a word

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