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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: content · club · chip · swing · hide · wave

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. swing — in golf
  4. content — the amount
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. chip — to eat
  7. swing — to play on
  8. club — for dancing
  9. content — happy
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. club — a group
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. chip — for betting
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. club — for 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