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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: object · mate · can · swing · wave · dip · scale · spell

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. spell — letters
  4. object — a thing
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. spell — a short time
  7. mate — a friend
  8. scale — in music
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. mate — to breed
  12. scale — size or range
  13. object — an aim
  14. spell — magic
  15. can — a tin
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. swing — to play on
  18. mate — a partner
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. swing — music
  24. object — to protest

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