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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 120 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: firm · swing · race · mug · rush · ball · wave · bulb

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. rush — hurry
  6. mug — a cup
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — a company
  10. swing — in golf
  11. mug — a face
  12. firm — steady
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mug — to rob
  17. swing — music
  18. race — humankind
  19. bulb — for light
  20. race — a contest
  21. ball — a dance
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. race — the arms race
  24. rush — to hurry

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