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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 120 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: swing · mate · fan · nail · spring · stock · lie · ruler

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. swing — in golf
  3. mate — to breed
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — shares
  7. swing — to play on
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. spring — a coil
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. stock — goods
  15. mate — a partner
  16. swing — music
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. spring — of water
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mate — a friend
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. spring — the season

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