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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: season · bulb · roll · cap · swing · calf · spell · bear

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. roll — a cake
  4. spell — a short time
  5. swing — music
  6. bulb — for light
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cap — a lid
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. spell — letters
  11. roll — a list
  12. cap — a hat
  13. bear — the animal
  14. swing — to play on
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. season — of the year
  17. bear — the animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. season — in sport
  20. spell — magic
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bulb — for light
  24. season — to add flavour

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