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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: band · rash · clip · ruler · mate · fine · suit · spell

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rash — a series
  5. suit — in cards
  6. clip — to cut
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. mate — a partner
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. band — a music group
  11. spell — a short time
  12. suit — to fit
  13. fine — high quality
  14. mate — a friend
  15. spell — letters
  16. clip — a video
  17. mate — to breed
  18. suit — clothes
  19. clip — for paper
  20. band — a ring
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. fine — all right
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. spell — magic

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