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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
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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: bear · fall · spell · mug · ruler · kick · land · season

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. spell — a short time
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. mug — a cup
  6. fall — to drop
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. spell — letters
  9. season — in sport
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. spell — magic
  12. kick — in football
  13. mug — to rob
  14. fall — to drop
  15. mug — a face
  16. fall — the season
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. land — to come down
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. land — ground
  21. bear — the animal
  22. season — of the year
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. land — a country

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