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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: fine · swing · rush · ball · tear · cabinet · bulb · pass

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. rush — hurry
  3. tear — from crying
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. swing — in golf
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. fine — all right
  9. swing — music
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. tear — from crying
  12. bulb — for light
  13. ball — a great time
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. bulb — for light
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. fine — high quality
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. swing — to play on
  23. tear — to rip
  24. pass — a permit

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