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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: mouse · swing · bank · bulb · pop · staff · spring · pound

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pop — soda
  4. bulb — for light
  5. swing — to play on
  6. staff — employees
  7. pop — to visit
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bank — for money
  11. spring — a coil
  12. staff — employees
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. staff — a stick
  16. pound — a weight
  17. bank — for money
  18. swing — music
  19. spring — the season
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. swing — in golf
  22. spring — of water
  23. pop — music
  24. bank — of a river

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