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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: spell · coach · suit · pound · firm · game · ruler · bat

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — to fit
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. firm — decided
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. firm — a company
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. spell — magic
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. game — wild animals
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. firm — steady
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. game — a match
  21. spell — letters
  22. bat — the animal
  23. pound — a weight
  24. pound — to hit hard

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