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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: spring · nail · pit · swing · stem · coach · foot · roll

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. swing — music
  3. roll — a list
  4. swing — to play on
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. roll — a cake
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. spring — the season
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. spring — of water
  14. pit — a hole
  15. pit — in a race
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. foot — a measure
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. swing — in golf
  22. spring — a coil
  23. stem — to come from
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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