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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: swing · ruler · craft · leaves · snap · cap

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. swing — to play on
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. craft — a skill
  11. cap — of ice
  12. craft — boats
  13. snap — to click
  14. cap — a hat
  15. cap — a lid
  16. swing — music
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. ruler — for measuring

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