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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: firm · band · bay · patient · wave · swing · mouse · cue

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. cue — for pool
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. swing — in golf
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. band — a music group
  9. firm — steady
  10. cue — a signal
  11. swing — to play on
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. cue — a hint
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. band — a ring
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — decided
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. mouse — the animal

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