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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: bowl · swing · squash · foot · wound · dip · wave · hide

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. dip — to sink
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. squash — to crush
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. swing — to play on
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. swing — in golf
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. foot — a measure
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. squash — the sport
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. swing — music
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. dip — a sauce

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