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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 116 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: rock · mate · trunk · pop · net · ground · spell · ruler

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. spell — a short time
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. net — in sport
  5. pop — soda
  6. rock — a stone
  7. ground — a position
  8. mate — a friend
  9. net — after costs
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. pop — music
  12. spell — letters
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. spell — magic
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. rock — music
  17. mate — a partner
  18. net — for catching
  19. ground — crushed
  20. ground — the earth
  21. pop — to visit
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. rock — to move gently

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