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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: ruler · stock · racket · leaves · pop · mug · spell · straw

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. pop — to visit
  3. mug — a face
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. mug — a cup
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. mug — to rob
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. stock — goods
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. spell — a short time
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. stock — shares
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. pop — music
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. spell — letters
  24. pop — soda

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