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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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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 · racket · foot · fine · chair · swing · squash · cue

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. chair — a leader
  3. squash — to crush
  4. fine — high quality
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. fine — all right
  12. foot — a measure
  13. squash — the sport
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — music
  18. swing — to play on
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. cue — for pool
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. cue — a hint

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