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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.

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: rule · mug · wake · suit · stick · racket · spell · branch

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rule — a law
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mug — a face
  6. spell — magic
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. branch — a division
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. spell — letters
  12. suit — clothes
  13. mug — a cup
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. suit — to fit
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. wake — a trail
  19. rule — government
  20. suit — in cards
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. racket — for tennis

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