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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: bear · spell · suit · field · wound · ruler · temple · content

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. field — for sport
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — an injury
  6. field — farmland
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bear — the animal
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. spell — letters
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. field — a subject
  16. content — happy
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. bear — the animal
  22. spell — a short time
  23. spell — magic
  24. suit — to fit

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