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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 120 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: wave · file · bulb · ruler · stem · swing · sharp · bay

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. swing — to play on
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. swing — music
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. bulb — for light
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. file — a document
  14. swing — in golf
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. file — a line of people
  17. file — a tool
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bulb — for light
  20. sharp — clever
  21. stem — to come from
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. bay — a horse colour

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