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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: straw · firm · rush · swing · face · present · wave · racket

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. present — a gift
  4. present — the time now
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. swing — music
  7. firm — a company
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. present — there
  10. rush — hurry
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. firm — steady
  16. swing — to play on
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. face — to confront
  20. swing — in golf
  21. face — to point toward
  22. face — part of the head
  23. firm — decided
  24. racket — a loud noise

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