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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.

Make a worksheet

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: calf · arm · rule · suit · spell · drill · root · fan

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. spell — letters
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. drill — a practice
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. spell — a short time
  8. suit — to fit
  9. drill — the tool
  10. root — of a word
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. spell — magic
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. root — the cause
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. root — of a plant
  18. rule — government
  19. drill — army training
  20. rule — a law
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. suit — in cards
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. suit — clothes

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