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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.

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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: wave · object · rest · firm · charge · drill · swing · bass

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. firm — steady
  3. object — a thing
  4. charge — a price
  5. rest — what's left
  6. drill — a practice
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. object — to protest
  10. object — an aim
  11. bass — low music
  12. drill — army training
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. swing — in golf
  15. firm — a company
  16. swing — to play on
  17. bass — the fish
  18. charge — in control
  19. firm — decided
  20. rest — what's left
  21. drill — the tool
  22. swing — music
  23. rest — a break
  24. charge — electricity

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