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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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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: last · bowl · swing · rush · chip · patient · spring · drill

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. drill — the tool
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. spring — a coil
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. swing — music
  8. last — finally
  9. rush — hurry
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. last — to go on
  13. chip — to eat
  14. last — final
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. chip — for betting
  17. spring — of water
  18. drill — army training
  19. swing — in golf
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. drill — a practice
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. spring — the season

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