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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 124 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: squash · swing · stand · pass · game · dip · mine · wave

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. squash — to crush
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. squash — the sport
  7. mine — for digging
  8. dip — to sink
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. game — wild animals
  11. swing — music
  12. swing — in golf
  13. swing — to play on
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. pass — a permit
  16. game — a match
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. stand — to bear

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