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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: hide · racket · ruler · cap · bank · spell · rush · object

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. spell — letters
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bank — for money
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bank — for money
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. object — to protest
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bank — of a river
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. cap — a lid
  17. object — a thing
  18. spell — magic
  19. cap — a hat
  20. object — an aim
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rush — hurry
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. cap — of ice

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