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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: rash · club · swing · fan · rule · can · date · pop

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. club — a group
  3. can — a tin
  4. club — for golf
  5. pop — music
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. can — a tin
  9. rule — government
  10. pop — to visit
  11. rash — hasty
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. club — for dancing
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. can — to be able to
  17. pop — soda
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — the fruit
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. rule — a law
  22. rash — a series
  23. swing — to play on
  24. swing — music

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