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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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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: mouse · bulb · nail · object · swing · stem

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. stem — to come from
  4. object — a thing
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. object — an aim
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. swing — music
  9. swing — to play on
  10. bulb — for light
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bulb — for light
  16. object — to protest
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. swing — in golf

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