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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.

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: pitcher · mouse · swing · hide · spring · suit · root · snap

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. suit — in cards
  3. swing — in golf
  4. swing — music
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. spring — a coil
  7. root — of a word
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. spring — the season
  10. snap — to click
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. suit — clothes
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. swing — to play on
  17. suit — to fit
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. root — of a plant
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. root — the cause
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. spring — of water

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