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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: jam · safe · mouse · club · swing · wave · bulb · rest

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. swing — to play on
  4. club — for golf
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. rest — what's left
  8. club — for dancing
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. swing — in golf
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. bulb — for light
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. club — a group
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. bulb — for light
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. rest — what's left
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. swing — music

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