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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: bulb · swing · fall · plane · pop · current · mark · net

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. bulb — for light
  3. mark — a trace
  4. plane — a tool
  5. swing — music
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. swing — to play on
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bulb — for light
  10. net — for catching
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. mark — a grade
  13. pop — music
  14. fall — the season
  15. net — after costs
  16. net — in sport
  17. fall — to drop
  18. current — electric
  19. current — of water
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pop — soda
  24. current — happening now

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