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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. spell — magic
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. ball — a great time
  6. firm — a company
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. present — there
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. firm — steady
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. ball — a dance
  15. fork — in a road
  16. present — a gift
  17. firm — decided
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. spell — a short time
  22. band — a music group
  23. present — the time now
  24. band — a ring

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