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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: root · bulb · scale · jam · club · rush · swing · rock

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. swing — to play on
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. root — the cause
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. swing — music
  10. club — a group
  11. rock — music
  12. swing — in golf
  13. club — for golf
  14. club — for dancing
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — hurry
  17. root — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. rock — a stone
  20. root — of a word
  21. bulb — for light
  22. scale — size or range
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. jam — in traffic

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