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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: swing · row · bulb · safe · dip · date · wind · suit

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. suit — in cards
  6. dip — to sink
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. row — a line
  10. suit — clothes
  11. swing — in golf
  12. swing — music
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bulb — for light
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. date — the fruit
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. wind — moving air
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bulb — for light
  22. swing — to play on
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. suit — to fit

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