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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: cap · ball · club · bulb · swing · mark · can · rule

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. mark — a grade
  3. club — a group
  4. bulb — for light
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bulb — for light
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a trace
  10. swing — music
  11. ball — a dance
  12. can — a tin
  13. swing — to play on
  14. rule — a law
  15. can — a tin
  16. rule — government
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. swing — in golf
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cap — of ice
  23. club — for golf
  24. can — to be able to

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