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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: spell · pound · nail · bear · date · staff · ruler · swing

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — magic
  3. bear — the animal
  4. date — the fruit
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. staff — employees
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. swing — music
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. swing — in golf
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. swing — to play on
  21. spell — letters
  22. bear — the animal
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — a stick

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