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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
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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: spring · field · object · racket · spell · ball · ruler · swing

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ball — a great time
  5. spring — a coil
  6. spell — magic
  7. swing — to play on
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. spell — a short time
  10. object — to protest
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. spring — of water
  13. field — for sport
  14. object — a thing
  15. field — farmland
  16. ball — a dance
  17. object — an aim
  18. swing — music
  19. spring — the season
  20. spell — letters
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. swing — in golf
  24. racket — a loud noise

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