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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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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: ruler · cue · swing · spring · capital · bay · hide · safe

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. swing — to play on
  3. spring — the season
  4. swing — music
  5. cue — a signal
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. capital — a city
  8. cue — for pool
  9. spring — of water
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. spring — a coil
  17. cue — a hint
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. swing — in golf

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