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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: track · fine · bulb · staff · swing · saw · snap · mark

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. swing — in golf
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. fine — high quality
  5. staff — employees
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. bulb — for light
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. mark — a grade
  12. swing — music
  13. fine — all right
  14. track — to keep track
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. snap — to click
  17. staff — employees
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. swing — to play on
  20. staff — a stick
  21. bulb — for light
  22. track — a path
  23. saw — the tool
  24. mark — a trace

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