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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: swing · land · mate · mouse · coach · hide · bulb · rule

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — for light
  4. mate — to breed
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. land — to come down
  8. land — a country
  9. swing — in golf
  10. rule — government
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mate — a friend
  13. rule — a law
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mate — a partner
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. land — ground
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. swing — to play on
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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