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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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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: snap · key · swing · wave · pass · bulb · bark · present

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. swing — music
  5. swing — in golf
  6. key — for a lock
  7. key — in music
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. bulb — for light
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. present — a gift
  15. snap — to click
  16. bark — to shout
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. swing — to play on
  20. present — there
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. wave — of the sea
  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