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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: march · bulb · object · deal · swing · cell

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. cell — in biology
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. object — to protest
  7. bulb — for light
  8. swing — music
  9. object — an aim
  10. cell — a phone
  11. bulb — for light
  12. swing — to play on
  13. object — a thing
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. march — the month
  16. swing — in golf
  17. march — the month
  18. deal — to handle

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