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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: deal · kick · swing · current · bulb · wind

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. current — happening now
  3. bulb — for light
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. wind — moving air
  8. current — of water
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. kick — in football
  11. bulb — for light
  12. swing — music
  13. deal — to handle
  14. current — electric
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. swing — to play on
  17. swing — in golf
  18. wind — moving air

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