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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: rush · spring · present · swing · racket · hide · last · stem

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. present — there
  6. spring — the season
  7. swing — to play on
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. spring — a coil
  10. present — a gift
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. present — the time now
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. last — to go on
  16. last — finally
  17. stem — to come from
  18. spring — of water
  19. last — final
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. swing — music

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