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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 · prune · hide · bulb · ruler · key · roll · swing

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. roll — a cake
  3. bulb — for light
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — music
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. key — the most important part
  10. present — the time now
  11. key — for a lock
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. bulb — for light
  14. present — a gift
  15. roll — a list
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. prune — to trim
  20. key — in music
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. swing — in golf

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