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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: bat · fork · ruler · suit · cue · plane · spell · straw

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. plane — a tool
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. spell — letters
  7. bat — the animal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. spell — a short time
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — a signal
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. suit — in cards
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. fork — in a road
  18. cue — for pool
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. suit — clothes
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. suit — to fit

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