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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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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: suit · bat · foot · deal · firm · spell · rule · roll

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. suit — in cards
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. roll — a cake
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. firm — decided
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. rule — government
  10. spell — letters
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. firm — a company
  14. rule — a law
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. suit — to fit
  18. firm — steady
  19. spell — magic
  20. roll — a list
  21. deal — to handle
  22. foot — a measure
  23. spell — a short time
  24. bat — the animal

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