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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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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: wave · dip · scale · swing · spell · bat · nail · rock

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. dip — to sink
  6. bat — the animal
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. scale — in music
  9. scale — size or range
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. swing — music
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. spell — letters
  15. swing — in golf
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. swing — to play on
  19. rock — music
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. spell — a short time

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