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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: swing · bulb · content · suit · fall · firm · mug · cell

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. fall — to drop
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. content — the amount
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bulb — for light
  7. firm — steady
  8. fall — the season
  9. suit — clothes
  10. mug — a cup
  11. cell — a phone
  12. mug — to rob
  13. firm — a company
  14. swing — music
  15. suit — to fit
  16. cell — in biology
  17. content — happy
  18. swing — to play on
  19. bulb — for light
  20. swing — in golf
  21. firm — decided
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. fall — to drop
  24. mug — a face

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