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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 116 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: swing · drill · lash · bay · bat · dip · scale · wave

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. scale — in music
  3. bat — the animal
  4. drill — a practice
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. drill — the tool
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. swing — music
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. drill — army training
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. dip — to sink
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. swing — to play on
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. scale — size or range
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. bay — a horse colour

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