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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: mug · wave · swing · present · chest · firm · cue · shower

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. cue — for pool
  3. mug — a face
  4. mug — to rob
  5. chest — of your body
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. cue — a signal
  8. firm — a company
  9. swing — in golf
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. chest — of your body
  13. shower — to wash
  14. firm — steady
  15. chest — a box
  16. present — a gift
  17. cue — a hint
  18. present — there
  19. present — the time now
  20. mug — a cup
  21. swing — music
  22. firm — decided
  23. swing — to play on
  24. shower — rain

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