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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: ruler · rest · leaves · bowl · spring · swing · stem · mug

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rest — a break
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. mug — a face
  7. swing — to play on
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. spring — a coil
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stem — to come from
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. spring — the season
  16. mug — to rob
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. rest — what's left
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. mug — a cup
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. swing — in golf
  23. spring — of water
  24. ruler — for measuring

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