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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 120 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
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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: sharp · ball · lash · can · bear · firm · wave · swing

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. swing — music
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. can — to be able to
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. swing — in golf
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. can — a tin
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. firm — decided
  13. ball — a dance
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. ball — a great time
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — a company
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. can — a tin
  20. bear — the animal
  21. sharp — clever
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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