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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: cell · spell · present · cap · ruler · wax

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. spell — letters
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. present — there
  7. cell — a phone
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. cap — of ice
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. cap — a lid
  12. present — a gift
  13. wax — to grow
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. spell — magic
  16. cap — a hat
  17. present — the time now
  18. cell — in biology

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