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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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468
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: lean · spell · hand · rock · ruler · stick · hide · chip

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. rock — a stone
  3. spell — letters
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. spell — a short time
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — to eat
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. hand — help
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. lean — thin
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rock — music
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. lean — to bend
  23. hand — in cards
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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