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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. pop — soda
  5. ball — a dance
  6. deal — to handle
  7. bulb — for light
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. staff — employees
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. staff — a stick
  14. rush — hurry
  15. bank — for money
  16. swing — music
  17. pop — music
  18. staff — employees
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. ball — a great time
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. swing — in golf
  23. swing — to play on
  24. pop — to visit

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