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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: leaves · spell · ruler · pit · tear · object

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. tear — to rip
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. tear — from crying
  7. object — to protest
  8. spell — magic
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. spell — letters
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. tear — from crying
  16. pit — a hole
  17. object — an aim
  18. spell — a short time

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