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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: deal · hide · swing · saw · cabinet · rush · patient · wave

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. swing — in golf
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rush — hurry
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. saw — the tool
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. deal — to handle
  18. saw — the tool
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. swing — music
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. swing — to play on

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