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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.

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: swing · mark · bulb · mug · fork · pass · game · fall

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. swing — to play on
  5. fall — to drop
  6. mark — a grade
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. mug — a face
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. mark — a trace
  11. pass — a permit
  12. fall — the season
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. swing — in golf
  16. bulb — for light
  17. swing — music
  18. fork — in a road
  19. mug — a cup
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bulb — for light
  22. fall — to drop
  23. game — wild animals
  24. game — a kind of play

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