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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: roll · spell · current · rash · coach · kick · last · plane

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. spell — a short time
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. roll — a list
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. last — final
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. last — finally
  13. rash — hasty
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. last — to go on
  16. kick — in football
  17. spell — letters
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. current — happening now
  20. rash — a series
  21. spell — magic
  22. roll — a cake
  23. current — of water
  24. current — electric

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