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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: foot · suit · can · spell · clip · rock · last · stick

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. last — to go on
  3. clip — for paper
  4. can — to be able to
  5. rock — music
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. spell — magic
  8. rock — a stone
  9. foot — a measure
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. suit — clothes
  12. clip — a video
  13. suit — in cards
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. last — final
  16. spell — a short time
  17. clip — to cut
  18. can — a tin
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. spell — letters
  21. suit — to fit
  22. last — finally
  23. can — a tin
  24. rock — to move gently

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