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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: bound · fine · spring · swing · nail · arm · calf · rule

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. rule — government
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bound — certain
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. fine — high quality
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. swing — music
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. spring — the season
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. spring — of water
  16. bound — tied together
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. swing — to play on
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. spring — a coil
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. fine — all right
  23. swing — in golf
  24. bound — obliged

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