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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 120 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: drill · swing · rush · firm · bulb · craft · arm · object

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. swing — to play on
  3. object — to protest
  4. swing — music
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. drill — the tool
  7. firm — decided
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. drill — army training
  10. bulb — for light
  11. drill — a practice
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. craft — a skill
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. firm — steady
  17. object — an aim
  18. bulb — for light
  19. craft — boats
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. firm — a company
  23. swing — in golf
  24. object — a thing

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