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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: bear · hide · craft · bulb · rush · chip · season · swing

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. craft — a skill
  8. season — of the year
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chip — to eat
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — to play on
  15. bulb — for light
  16. season — in sport
  17. swing — in golf
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — boats
  20. bear — the animal
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. chip — for betting
  24. hide — to keep secret

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