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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: present · club · ruler · staff · spell · row

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. club — for dancing
  3. present — a gift
  4. spell — a short time
  5. club — a group
  6. club — for golf
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. staff — employees
  9. spell — magic
  10. spell — letters
  11. row — to paddle
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. row — a line
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. staff — a stick
  16. present — there
  17. present — the time now
  18. row — a quarrel

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