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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.

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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 · stick · present · wake · kick · ruler

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. wake — a trail
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. spell — letters
  8. present — the time now
  9. present — there
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. kick — in football
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. present — a gift
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. spell — magic

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