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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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468
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: squash · spring · lean · rule · nail · row · swing · bay

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. squash — the sport
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. squash — to crush
  7. row — to paddle
  8. row — a line
  9. spring — the season
  10. swing — music
  11. swing — in golf
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lean — thin
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. swing — to play on
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. rule — a law
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. spring — of water
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. spring — a coil
  24. bay — a horse colour

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