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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: wound · kick · bowl · bound · swing · nail · ruler · bulb

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. swing — music
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. wound — an injury
  5. swing — in golf
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. swing — to play on
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bound — certain
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bound — obliged
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bound — tied together
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. bulb — for light
  22. kick — in football
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. bulb — for light

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