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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 116 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 ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bulb — for light
  5. tear — from crying
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. swing — music
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bulb — for light
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. swing — to play on
  14. tear — to rip
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — a company
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. firm — decided
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. tear — from crying

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