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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 120 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: can · bore · lash · lie · suit · swing · ball · spring

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. spring — a coil
  3. suit — to fit
  4. can — a tin
  5. suit — in cards
  6. ball — a great time
  7. swing — music
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. suit — clothes
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. can — to be able to
  14. lie — to recline
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bore — to drill
  17. spring — the season
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. swing — in golf
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. swing — to play on
  23. ball — a dance
  24. can — a tin

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