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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 120 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: season · saw · tear · swing · stick · wave · mark · present

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. swing — in golf
  3. season — in sport
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. present — there
  6. saw — the tool
  7. present — a gift
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. swing — music
  10. tear — from crying
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. tear — from crying
  14. tear — to rip
  15. mark — a trace
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. present — the time now
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. swing — to play on
  23. season — of the year
  24. saw — the tool

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