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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: suit · present · rush · cue · spell · kick · arm · roll

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. suit — to fit
  3. spell — a short time
  4. present — a gift
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. present — there
  7. spell — letters
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. roll — a list
  10. spell — magic
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. cue — for pool
  13. roll — a cake
  14. cue — a hint
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. suit — in cards
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. cue — a signal
  19. suit — clothes
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. kick — in football
  22. rush — hurry
  23. present — the time now
  24. rush — a thrill

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