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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: arm · toast · spell · kick · bore · racket · rule · sharp

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. toast — bread
  8. spell — letters
  9. spell — magic
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. rule — a law
  13. bore — to tire
  14. rule — government
  15. sharp — clever
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. kick — in football
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bore — gave birth

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