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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 120 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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. march — the month
  3. ball — a dance
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. mark — a trace
  6. suit — in cards
  7. ball — a great time
  8. suit — to fit
  9. march — music
  10. snap — to click
  11. march — the month
  12. bulb — for light
  13. swing — in golf
  14. suit — clothes
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. bulb — for light
  20. swing — music
  21. mark — a grade
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bulb — of a plant

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