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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
468
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: ruler · swing · bark · rock · tube · ball · spell · wound

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. wound — an injury
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. spell — letters
  5. swing — to play on
  6. tube — the underground
  7. rock — a stone
  8. spell — a short time
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. rock — music
  11. swing — in golf
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. swing — music
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. ball — a great time
  20. spell — magic
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. wound — an injury
  23. ball — a dance
  24. tube — a container

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