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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 116 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 · game · safe · chip · bulb · spell · firm · band

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. firm — decided
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. spell — letters
  6. swing — music
  7. swing — in golf
  8. chip — to eat
  9. spell — magic
  10. band — a ring
  11. swing — to play on
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. game — a match
  16. game — wild animals
  17. firm — a company
  18. bulb — for light
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. firm — steady
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. chip — for betting
  23. spell — a short time
  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