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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: fall · stand · present · spell · ruler · file

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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 — a short time
  4. fall — to drop
  5. file — a document
  6. present — the time now
  7. fall — to drop
  8. spell — magic
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. present — a gift
  11. stand — to bear
  12. file — a line of people
  13. file — a tool
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. fall — the season
  17. present — there
  18. stand — for spectators

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