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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.

Make a worksheet

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: spell · bass · suit · rule · capital · ruler

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. spell — magic
  3. capital — money
  4. spell — letters
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. suit — clothes
  8. rule — government
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rule — a law
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bass — the fish
  14. suit — to fit
  15. capital — a city
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. spell — a short time
  18. capital — a big letter

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