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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.

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: bear · spell · band · bound · pound · ruler

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. band — a music group
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. spell — magic
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bear — the animal
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. band — a ring
  9. spell — a short time
  10. bear — the animal
  11. spell — letters
  12. pound — a weight
  13. bound — certain
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bound — tied together
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. band — a rubber band

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