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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 116 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.

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: bulb · mark · dip · vault · mine · swing · wound · spell

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  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. swing — music
  2. dip — to sink
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. swing — to play on
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. mark — a trace
  8. vault — a safe
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bulb — for light
  12. spell — letters
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. spell — magic
  15. bulb — for light
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. spell — a short time
  20. swing — in golf
  21. wound — an injury
  22. mine — for digging
  23. mark — a grade
  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