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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: date · club · bulb · cap · bay · track · fan · swing

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. track — a song
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. track — a path
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cap — of ice
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. club — a group
  11. club — for golf
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — the fruit
  14. swing — music
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — for light
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. swing — to play on
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. swing — in golf
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cap — a hat
  23. track — to keep track
  24. club — for dancing

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