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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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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: cabinet · roll · present · stick · ruler · wind

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. present — the time now
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. present — there
  5. wind — moving air
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. roll — a list
  8. roll — a cake
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. wind — moving air
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. present — a gift
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. ruler — for measuring

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