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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.

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: rush · spell · wound · mouse · arm · present

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. wound — an injury
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. spell — magic
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. rush — hurry
  9. present — there
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. spell — a short time
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. present — a gift
  17. present — the time now
  18. wound — an injury

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