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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: dip · row · lean · nail · swing · bear · firm · wave

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bear — the animal
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bear — the animal
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. firm — a company
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. swing — music
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. firm — decided
  14. dip — to sink
  15. lean — thin
  16. swing — to play on
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. row — a line
  19. firm — steady
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. swing — in golf
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. lean — to bend

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