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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: present · pound · spell · ruler · wake · safe

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. present — the time now
  3. spell — magic
  4. present — a gift
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. spell — letters
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. present — there
  14. spell — a short time
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wake — a trail
  17. pound — a weight
  18. ruler — a monarch

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