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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: bulb · swing · plane · cue · shower · race · pass · club

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. cue — for pool
  3. race — a contest
  4. pass — a permit
  5. club — for golf
  6. race — humankind
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bulb — for light
  9. cue — a hint
  10. club — a group
  11. shower — to wash
  12. bulb — for light
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. swing — music
  15. shower — rain
  16. club — for dancing
  17. cue — a signal
  18. race — the arms race
  19. plane — a tool
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. swing — to play on
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. plane — in geometry

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