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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: row · squash · bear · last · march · bulb · key · swing

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. row — to paddle
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. squash — the sport
  9. swing — in golf
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. row — a line
  12. last — finally
  13. march — music
  14. swing — music
  15. bulb — for light
  16. key — for a lock
  17. squash — to crush
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. march — the month
  20. swing — to play on
  21. last — to go on
  22. march — the month
  23. last — final
  24. bear — the animal

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