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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: stem · deal · rush · mark · wave · calf · swing · ruler

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. deal — to handle
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. swing — in golf
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. swing — music
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. mark — a grade
  12. stem — to come from
  13. mark — a trace
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. rush — hurry
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. wave — of the sea
  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