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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: bear · bulb · roll · spell · ruler · perch

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. spell — magic
  3. roll — a cake
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. spell — letters
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bulb — for light
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. spell — a short time
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. perch — the fish
  15. roll — a list
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bear — the animal

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