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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 · cold · bulb · rush · kid · deal · current · bowl

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. kid — child
  3. current — of water
  4. cold — not warm
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. current — happening now
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. cold — an illness
  10. current — electric
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. kid — to tease
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. swing — music
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. rush — hurry
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. bulb — for light
  24. swing — to play on

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