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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.

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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: swing · lie · can · ruler · spring · stand

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. can — to be able to
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. swing — in golf
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stand — to bear
  11. spring — of water
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. swing — music
  17. spring — the season
  18. swing — to play on

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