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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
468
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 · bowl · pit · mouse · mine · swing · rush · kick

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pit — in a race
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. kick — in football
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. spring — a coil
  10. mine — for digging
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. spring — of water
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. rush — hurry
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. pit — a hole
  18. spring — the season
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. swing — in golf
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. swing — music
  23. swing — to play on
  24. rush — to hurry

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