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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.

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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: fine · face · swing · deal · bulb · rush · ball · shower

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. ball — a dance
  3. face — part of the head
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. rush — hurry
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. shower — rain
  9. fine — high quality
  10. bulb — for light
  11. swing — music
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. shower — to wash
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. face — to confront
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. fine — all right
  19. face — to point toward
  20. deal — to handle
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. swing — to play on
  23. swing — in golf
  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