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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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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: patient · current · swing · pass · bulb · pound · club · cap

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cap — a lid
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. club — for dancing
  6. swing — music
  7. swing — to play on
  8. cap — of ice
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pound — a weight
  14. cap — a hat
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. current — of water
  18. club — for golf
  19. bulb — for light
  20. current — electric
  21. swing — in golf
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. current — happening now
  24. pound — to hit hard

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