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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: root · bay · season · swing · spring · ruler · lean · pass

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. spring — the season
  3. root — of a plant
  4. pass — a permit
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. season — of the year
  7. season — in sport
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. swing — to play on
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. swing — in golf
  14. lean — to bend
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. lean — thin
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. root — the cause
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. spring — a coil
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. root — of a word
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. swing — music

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