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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 116 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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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: spring · swing · race · pit · bowl · ruler · bound · press

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. race — the arms race
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bound — obliged
  6. race — humankind
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. press — a publisher
  9. press — newspapers
  10. spring — of water
  11. swing — music
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. spring — a coil
  14. bound — tied together
  15. swing — in golf
  16. spring — the season
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bound — certain
  19. race — a contest
  20. press — to push
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. pit — in a race

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