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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.

Words on the sheet
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: wave · bulb · swing · patient · present · mouse · mug · bowl

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. present — the time now
  9. swing — music
  10. present — a gift
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. swing — in golf
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. mug — a cup
  22. swing — to play on
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. present — there

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