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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 · ball · bulb · saw · pop · temple · date · club

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. saw — the tool
  3. swing — music
  4. club — a group
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. pop — soda
  10. date — the fruit
  11. bulb — for light
  12. club — for dancing
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bulb — for light
  15. swing — in golf
  16. ball — a dance
  17. pop — music
  18. pop — to visit
  19. saw — the tool
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. club — for golf
  22. ball — a great time
  23. swing — to play on
  24. bulb — of a plant

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