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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: rash · ball · ruler · nail · roll · spell · kick · suit

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. roll — a cake
  3. ball — a great time
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. spell — magic
  6. rash — hasty
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. kick — in football
  13. spell — letters
  14. rash — a series
  15. ball — a dance
  16. suit — clothes
  17. roll — a list
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. spell — a short time
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. nail — for a hammer

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