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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
468
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: snap · mouse · rule · spring · suit · spell · track · stick

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. spell — letters
  3. track — a path
  4. track — to keep track
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. spring — a coil
  7. suit — clothes
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. snap — to click
  12. suit — in cards
  13. spell — magic
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. spring — the season
  16. rule — a law
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. spring — of water
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. track — a song
  23. spell — a short time
  24. suit — to fit

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