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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: present · wind · dip · can · mate · swing · wake · hide

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. dip — to sink
  3. can — a tin
  4. present — the time now
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. wake — a trail
  8. present — there
  9. wind — moving air
  10. mate — to breed
  11. present — a gift
  12. mate — a partner
  13. swing — in golf
  14. swing — music
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. can — a tin
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. can — to be able to
  19. mate — a friend
  20. wind — moving air
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. hide — to keep secret

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