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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 120 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: suit · rash · firm · perch · spell · plane · arm · snap

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. rash — a series
  3. suit — in cards
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. suit — clothes
  7. spell — magic
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. rash — hasty
  10. firm — steady
  11. snap — to click
  12. perch — the fish
  13. firm — decided
  14. suit — to fit
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. firm — a company
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. plane — a tool
  24. spell — a short time

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