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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: swing · vault · bear · track · bound · spring · rash · ground

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. ground — the earth
  5. track — a song
  6. rash — hasty
  7. spring — a coil
  8. ground — crushed
  9. bound — certain
  10. spring — of water
  11. ground — a position
  12. vault — a safe
  13. spring — the season
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bear — the animal
  18. swing — music
  19. swing — to play on
  20. track — a path
  21. track — to keep track
  22. rash — a series
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bear — the animal

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