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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: wound · lie · bulb · deal · wave · swing · hand · bowl

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. swing — to play on
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. lie — to recline
  8. hand — help
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bulb — for light
  16. hand — in cards
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. swing — music
  23. deal — to handle
  24. bulb — for light

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