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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: present · bulb · pitcher · suit · swing · fine · toast · spell

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. bulb — for light
  3. fine — high quality
  4. toast — bread
  5. present — there
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. swing — in golf
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. present — a gift
  10. spell — letters
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. suit — to fit
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. swing — to play on
  16. present — the time now
  17. spell — a short time
  18. suit — in cards
  19. swing — music
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. suit — clothes
  23. spell — magic
  24. pitcher — a jug

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