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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: rash · last · spring · ruler · chip · calf · swing · firm

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rash — hasty
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. firm — steady
  8. chip — to eat
  9. spring — a coil
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. spring — the season
  13. swing — in golf
  14. swing — to play on
  15. swing — music
  16. spring — of water
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. last — to go on
  20. rash — a series
  21. chip — for betting
  22. last — final
  23. last — finally
  24. firm — decided

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