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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 120 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: spell · pitcher · capital · rule · foot · lean · lash · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. spell — a short time
  4. capital — a city
  5. rule — government
  6. spell — letters
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lean — to bend
  10. suit — clothes
  11. capital — money
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. foot — a measure
  16. spell — magic
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. rule — a law
  22. lean — thin
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. suit — to fit

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