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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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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: mine · ruler · mark · rock · band · club · bulb · swing

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bulb — for light
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. club — for golf
  12. band — a music group
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bulb — for light
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rock — music
  17. club — for dancing
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mine — for digging
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. swing — music
  22. mark — a grade
  23. band — a ring
  24. club — a group

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