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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wind — moving air
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — clothes
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. swing — in golf
  15. mine — for digging
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. toast — bread
  19. swing — music
  20. suit — to fit
  21. dip — to sink
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. swing — to play on

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