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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — for light
  4. suit — in cards
  5. cap — a hat
  6. swing — to play on
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. tear — from crying
  9. season — in sport
  10. tear — to rip
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. wake — a trail
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. deal — to handle
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. cap — a lid
  19. season — of the year
  20. suit — clothes
  21. cap — of ice
  22. tear — from crying
  23. suit — to fit
  24. swing — music

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