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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bass · rest · club · bulb · lean · swing

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. club — for golf
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — a break
  6. bass — the fish
  7. swing — music
  8. swing — to play on
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bass — low music
  12. rest — what's left
  13. lean — thin
  14. club — a group
  15. lean — to bend
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. club — for dancing

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