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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: rock · ruler · wound · spell · bore · kick · firm · stick

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. wound — an injury
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. firm — a company
  6. spell — magic
  7. spell — a short time
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. rock — a stone
  13. firm — decided
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. bore — to drill
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. spell — letters
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bore — to tire
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. firm — steady
  24. 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