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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: stick · deal · track · drill · spring · swing · mark · ruler

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. swing — to play on
  3. drill — army training
  4. spring — a coil
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. track — a path
  9. track — a song
  10. spring — of water
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. swing — music
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — a grade
  16. deal — to handle
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. drill — the tool
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. drill — a practice
  22. track — to keep track
  23. spring — the season
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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