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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: rash · band · suit · bat · ruler · present · mate · spell

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. suit — to fit
  3. spell — letters
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. mate — a partner
  7. band — a ring
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. spell — a short time
  10. bat — the animal
  11. present — the time now
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. suit — clothes
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rash — hasty
  16. spell — magic
  17. mate — to breed
  18. present — there
  19. band — a music group
  20. rash — a series
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. suit — in cards
  23. present — a gift
  24. band — a rubber band

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