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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: rash · club · ruler · suit · nail · spell · ground · clip

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. rash — a series
  3. spell — a short time
  4. rash — hasty
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. suit — to fit
  8. clip — a video
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. suit — in cards
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. suit — clothes
  14. club — for dancing
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. spell — letters
  17. ground — the earth
  18. ground — crushed
  19. clip — to cut
  20. club — a group
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. club — for golf
  23. ground — a position
  24. clip — for paper

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