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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.

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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: spring · shower · suit · wound · ruler · spell · mate · safe

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. wound — an injury
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. mate — a friend
  6. spell — magic
  7. suit — to fit
  8. shower — rain
  9. spring — the season
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. suit — clothes
  12. spring — a coil
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. spell — letters
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. wound — an injury
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. mate — a partner
  19. spell — a short time
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. shower — to wash
  22. mate — to breed
  23. spring — of water
  24. safe — out of danger

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