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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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Word bank
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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: wake · dip · pass · foot · swing · game · rule · lean

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. foot — a measure
  5. rule — a law
  6. dip — to sink
  7. lean — thin
  8. rule — government
  9. pass — a permit
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. game — wild animals
  13. swing — to play on
  14. swing — music
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. lean — to bend
  21. swing — in golf
  22. game — a match
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. dip — to dunk

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