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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: tear · present · firm · spell · rule · bulb

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. firm — steady
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. tear — to rip
  5. spell — letters
  6. spell — a short time
  7. rule — a law
  8. spell — magic
  9. bulb — for light
  10. firm — a company
  11. tear — from crying
  12. present — a gift
  13. rule — government
  14. firm — decided
  15. present — there
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. tear — from crying

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