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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: staff · rock · rule · spell · cell · mug · field · object

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. object — a thing
  3. spell — magic
  4. mug — to rob
  5. rule — government
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. cell — a phone
  9. spell — letters
  10. rock — music
  11. mug — a face
  12. spell — a short time
  13. staff — a stick
  14. field — for sport
  15. field — farmland
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rule — a law
  18. mug — a cup
  19. cell — in biology
  20. object — to protest
  21. staff — employees
  22. object — an aim
  23. field — a subject
  24. staff — employees

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