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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 · fall · chair · calf · temple · leaves · rule · suit

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. rule — a law
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. spell — magic
  8. suit — to fit
  9. chair — a leader
  10. spell — a short time
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. fall — to drop
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — clothes
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. fall — the season
  21. rule — government
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. spell — letters

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