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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stick · jam · swing · mine · club · fine · spell · bulb

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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 — in traffic
  3. spell — letters
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. fine — all right
  7. bulb — for light
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. fine — high quality
  11. spell — magic
  12. spell — a short time
  13. swing — in golf
  14. club — for dancing
  15. bulb — for light
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. club — a group
  21. mine — for digging
  22. swing — music
  23. club — for golf
  24. swing — to play on

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