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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: swing · board · wax · toast · arm · degree · stand · bulb

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. bulb — for light
  3. board — a committee
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. swing — in golf
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. stand — to bear
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. toast — bread
  11. degree — temperature
  12. degree — an amount
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. swing — to play on
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. degree — from a university
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. wax — to grow
  20. board — to get on
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bulb — of a plant

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