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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 · toast · nail · pass · wake · rule · land · bore

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. land — a country
  3. spell — letters
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. spell — a short time
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bore — to tire
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. wake — a trail
  11. spell — magic
  12. toast — bread
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. rule — a law
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. rule — government
  20. bore — to drill
  21. land — ground
  22. land — to come down
  23. pass — a permit
  24. bore — gave birth

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