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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: swing · racket · bark · wake · pass · deal · pit · wave

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. pit — in a race
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pass — a permit
  14. swing — to play on
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. swing — in golf
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. deal — to handle
  19. pit — a hole
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. swing — music
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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