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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.

Words on the sheet
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: stem · season · jam · wave · foot · swing · saw · firm

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. swing — in golf
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. swing — music
  7. season — in sport
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. firm — steady
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. saw — the tool
  13. stem — to come from
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. saw — the tool
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. season — of the year
  21. foot — a measure
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — a company
  24. wave — of the sea

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