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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  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. mug — to rob
  2. swing — in golf
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. swing — music
  5. club — for dancing
  6. spell — magic
  7. mug — a face
  8. bulb — for light
  9. shower — to wash
  10. swing — to play on
  11. spell — letters
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. shower — rain
  14. bulb — for light
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. wax — to grow
  18. mug — a cup
  19. club — a group
  20. club — for golf
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — a permit
  23. spell — a short time
  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