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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 116 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: swing · dip · stand · press · snap · wave · calf · pass

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. swing — music
  5. snap — to click
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. pass — a permit
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. press — to push
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. dip — to sink
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stand — to bear
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. press — a publisher
  21. swing — to play on
  22. swing — in golf
  23. press — newspapers
  24. calf — a young 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