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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spell · bulb · spring · hand · swing · safe · calf · plane

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. swing — music
  3. hand — in cards
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. spring — the season
  8. swing — to play on
  9. spell — magic
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. swing — in golf
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. hand — help
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. spell — letters
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. spring — a coil
  20. plane — a tool
  21. spring — of water
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. spell — a short time

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