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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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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: tube · ruler · swing · spell · rush · suit · stand · cell

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. rush — hurry
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. cell — a phone
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. suit — to fit
  12. cell — in biology
  13. tube — the underground
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. suit — clothes
  16. spell — letters
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. tube — a container
  19. spell — magic
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. spell — a short time
  22. swing — to play on
  23. swing — in golf
  24. swing — music

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