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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  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. racket — a loud noise
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. rush — hurry
  7. content — the amount
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. vault — a safe
  13. swing — to play on
  14. pop — soda
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. pop — music
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. pop — to visit
  22. content — happy
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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