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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bear — the animal
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. swing — music
  7. board — a committee
  8. bear — the animal
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bat — the animal
  12. game — wild animals
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pop — music
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. pop — to visit
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. game — a match
  21. swing — to play on
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. plane — a tool
  24. pop — soda

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