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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: fan · current · bulb · rule · swing · saw · temple · pound

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. rule — government
  4. current — happening now
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. rule — a law
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. current — of water
  12. swing — music
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. bulb — for light
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. swing — in golf
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. current — electric
  24. swing — to play on

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