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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.

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: swing · ruler · spell · craft · rash · kick · pitcher · lie

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. spell — letters
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. swing — music
  9. spell — a short time
  10. lie — to recline
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. craft — boats
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. rash — hasty
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. kick — in football
  19. rash — a series
  20. swing — to play on
  21. spell — magic
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. craft — a skill
  24. kick — with a leg

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