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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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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 · arm · swing · mark · prune · wave · net · fine

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. swing — music
  3. prune — to trim
  4. net — in sport
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. fine — high quality
  8. net — for catching
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. swing — in golf
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. swing — to play on
  17. fine — all right
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — a grade
  20. prune — to trim
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — to handle
  23. net — after costs
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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