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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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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: object · file · bulb · coach · deal · bear · swing · capital

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. file — a document
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. object — a thing
  6. bulb — for light
  7. swing — music
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. capital — a city
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. file — a line of people
  12. deal — to handle
  13. object — to protest
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. file — a tool
  16. object — an aim
  17. swing — in golf
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. capital — money
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bulb — for light
  24. swing — to play on

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