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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: toast · pass · spell · arm · ruler · hide · pitcher · kick

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. toast — bread
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. spell — letters
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. spell — magic
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. spell — a short time
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pass — a permit
  19. kick — in football
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. kick — with a leg

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