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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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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: stick · pop · fork · wave · squash · swing · can · ruler

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. pop — soda
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pop — music
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. can — to be able to
  7. swing — music
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. fork — in a road
  10. squash — to crush
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. swing — in golf
  16. can — a tin
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. pop — to visit
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. squash — the sport
  22. swing — to play on
  23. can — a tin
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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