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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 116 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: band · firm · spell · kick · lean · craft · pop · mug

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. firm — a company
  3. pop — soda
  4. firm — steady
  5. pop — to visit
  6. lean — thin
  7. kick — in football
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. mug — to rob
  10. band — a ring
  11. craft — boats
  12. spell — a short time
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. band — a music group
  15. mug — a face
  16. firm — decided
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. mug — a cup
  19. craft — a skill
  20. spell — letters
  21. pop — music
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. lean — to bend

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