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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 120 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: bay · content · clip · swing · calf · rock · can · wave

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. swing — music
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. content — the amount
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. can — a tin
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. rock — a stone
  13. clip — a video
  14. can — to be able to
  15. rock — music
  16. content — happy
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. clip — to cut
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. swing — to play on
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. can — a tin
  24. clip — for paper

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