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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: bass · game · rule · swing · root · safe · wave · calf

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. swing — in golf
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. root — the cause
  6. swing — music
  7. rule — a law
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. game — a match
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. root — of a plant
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bass — the fish
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. game — wild animals
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. root — of a word
  23. bass — low music
  24. rule — government

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