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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: wake · rush · spell · foot · deal · rest · content · bat

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. wake — a trail
  4. foot — a measure
  5. spell — magic
  6. rest — a break
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. spell — letters
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. rest — what's left
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. bat — the animal
  17. spell — a short time
  18. deal — to handle
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rush — hurry
  24. content — happy

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