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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: swing · ruler · spell · craft · rash · kick

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. craft — boats
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. rash — a series
  8. rash — hasty
  9. spell — magic
  10. swing — music
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. kick — in football
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. swing — to play on
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. spell — a short time
  17. spell — letters
  18. craft — a skill

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