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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: fall · ruler · staff · mark · bound · trunk · bass · spell

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. bound — tied together
  3. fall — to drop
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. fall — to drop
  6. staff — a stick
  7. bass — the fish
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mark — a grade
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. bound — obliged
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — low music
  15. mark — a trace
  16. fall — the season
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. staff — employees
  20. bound — certain
  21. staff — employees
  22. spell — letters
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. spell — magic

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