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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: can · cabinet · spell · game · wind · rule · ruler · swing

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. game — a match
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. can — to be able to
  5. can — a tin
  6. swing — in golf
  7. spell — letters
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. can — a tin
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. wind — moving air
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. swing — music
  17. spell — a short time
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. rule — government
  20. swing — to play on
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. game — wild animals
  23. spell — magic
  24. rule — a law

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