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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 120 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: mark · rush · spell · kid · chest · land · stick · suit

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. suit — clothes
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. kid — child
  8. land — ground
  9. kid — to tease
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. land — to come down
  12. mark — a trace
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. chest — a box
  15. suit — in cards
  16. spell — letters
  17. rush — hurry
  18. chest — of your body
  19. spell — a short time
  20. land — a country
  21. spell — magic
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. chest — of your body
  24. suit — to fit

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