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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. rash — a series
  3. bulb — for light
  4. net — for catching
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. net — after costs
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. swing — in golf
  12. net — in sport
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fine — all right
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rash — hasty
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. swing — music
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rash — on the skin
  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