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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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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: racket · ruler · can · safe · spring · stem · club · swing

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. can — to be able to
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. stem — to come from
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. spring — the season
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. swing — to play on
  9. club — for dancing
  10. can — a tin
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. swing — in golf
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. can — a tin
  17. spring — of water
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. swing — music
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. spring — a coil
  24. club — for golf

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