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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: date · rule · lash · bulb · swing · bear · fan · suit

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. swing — music
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bulb — for light
  6. swing — in golf
  7. swing — to play on
  8. rule — government
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bear — the animal
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — to fit
  22. rule — a law
  23. date — the fruit
  24. fan — a supporter

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