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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: band · wake · swing · temple · kid · firm · rush · bulb

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. swing — in golf
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. kid — to tease
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. firm — steady
  9. rush — hurry
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bulb — for light
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. kid — child
  15. swing — to play on
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. firm — decided
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bulb — for light
  21. firm — a company
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. band — a ring
  24. band — a music group

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