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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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468
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: lean · season · swing · wave · craft · lie · racket · hide

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. season — of the year
  3. lean — to bend
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. craft — boats
  7. lie — to recline
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. swing — music
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. lean — thin
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. swing — in golf
  16. season — in sport
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. craft — a skill
  24. swing — to play on

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