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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: swing · club · hide · toast · firm · bulb · bound · dip

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. club — for golf
  3. bound — tied together
  4. swing — music
  5. club — for dancing
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. dip — to sink
  8. toast — bread
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. club — a group
  12. firm — decided
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bound — certain
  15. firm — a company
  16. swing — in golf
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. swing — to play on
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. firm — steady

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