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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: racket · mate · swing · rest · wave · bulb · dip · game

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. swing — music
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bulb — for light
  8. game — wild animals
  9. mate — a friend
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. rest — a break
  12. mate — a partner
  13. bulb — for light
  14. swing — to play on
  15. rest — what's left
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. swing — in golf
  18. mate — to breed
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. rest — what's left
  23. game — a match
  24. dip — to dunk

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