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

Word bank: stand · saw · bulb · hand · swing · mate

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bulb — for light
  4. mate — to breed
  5. stand — to bear
  6. mate — a partner
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. hand — in cards
  9. saw — the tool
  10. hand — help
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. swing — music
  13. saw — the tool
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. bulb — for light
  16. swing — to play on
  17. mate — a friend
  18. hand — part of the body

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