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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: arm · swing · bat · temple · firm · bulb · object · staff

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. object — an aim
  3. staff — employees
  4. object — a thing
  5. swing — music
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. bat — the animal
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bulb — for light
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bulb — for light
  14. firm — steady
  15. object — to protest
  16. staff — employees
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. staff — a stick
  20. swing — to play on
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. firm — decided
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. firm — a company

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