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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: leaves · lean · rush · fan · swing · wake · bulb · pass

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. lean — to bend
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. pass — a permit
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. rush — hurry
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. lean — thin
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. swing — in golf
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bulb — for light
  18. swing — music
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wake — a trail
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. rush — to hurry

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