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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. spring — the season
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bound — tied together
  5. swing — music
  6. spring — a coil
  7. bound — certain
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. bulb — for light
  10. roll — a list
  11. spring — of water
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. lean — thin
  14. vault — a safe
  15. lean — to bend
  16. deal — to handle
  17. roll — a cake
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. bound — obliged
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. bulb — for light
  24. swing — to play on

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