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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. club — a group
  3. club — for golf
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bulb — for light
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. deal — to handle
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. swing — music
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. club — for dancing
  19. swing — to play on
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — to trim

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