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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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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: fine · swing · perch · wave · calf · race · rush · arm

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. rush — hurry
  9. perch — the fish
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. swing — music
  14. race — the arms race
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. race — humankind
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. fine — all right
  22. race — a contest
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  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