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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 120 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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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: club · racket · ruler · swing · spell · kick · land · trunk

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. kick — in football
  3. land — a country
  4. swing — to play on
  5. club — for dancing
  6. land — ground
  7. spell — magic
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. club — a group
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. land — to come down
  13. spell — letters
  14. swing — in golf
  15. swing — music
  16. club — for golf
  17. spell — a short time
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. kick — with a leg

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