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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 116 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: ruler · fall · mouse · land · mate · spell · calf · court

  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'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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. land — ground
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. fall — to drop
  6. land — to come down
  7. fall — the season
  8. mate — to breed
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. land — a country
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. court — of law
  13. mate — a partner
  14. spell — letters
  15. court — for sport
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. spell — magic
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. court — of a king
  22. mate — a friend
  23. fall — to drop
  24. ruler — a monarch

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