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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. bulb — for light
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. swing — music
  9. swing — in golf
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. spell — letters
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. spell — magic
  18. swing — to play on
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. bulb — for light
  22. spell — a short time
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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