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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  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 — in golf
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pop — soda
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. swing — music
  10. pop — music
  11. mine — for digging
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. bank — for money
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. wound — an injury
  16. rush — hurry
  17. pop — to visit
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. swing — to play on
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. bank — for money
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. bowl — to roll
  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