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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 116 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 · ball · lean · bulb · cap · bound · plane · club

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. bound — tied together
  4. club — for dancing
  5. cap — of ice
  6. lean — to bend
  7. cap — a lid
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. bulb — for light
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bulb — for light
  14. ball — a dance
  15. lean — thin
  16. club — a group
  17. cap — a hat
  18. swing — music
  19. swing — in golf
  20. swing — to play on
  21. plane — a tool
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. club — for golf
  24. plane — an aircraft

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