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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 · bat · suit · firm · can · rule · board · foot

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. foot — a measure
  3. rule — government
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. spell — letters
  7. bat — the animal
  8. rule — a law
  9. board — to get on
  10. board — a committee
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. spell — magic
  15. firm — a company
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. firm — steady
  19. spell — a short time
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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