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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: bulb · ruler · lie · file · shower · jam · wind · swing

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bulb — for light
  4. swing — music
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. file — a line of people
  9. swing — to play on
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. bulb — for light
  15. lie — to recline
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. shower — rain
  18. shower — to wash
  19. file — a tool
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. file — a document
  23. wind — moving air
  24. jam — a tight spot

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