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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: perch · date · saw · club · swing · bulb · file · sharp

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. date — the fruit
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. sharp — clever
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. club — a group
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. file — a document
  12. saw — the tool
  13. perch — the fish
  14. club — for golf
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. swing — to play on
  17. saw — the tool
  18. swing — music
  19. swing — in golf
  20. file — a line of people
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. club — for dancing
  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