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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: saw · drill · charge · ruler · spell · bound · stand · craft

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. charge — a price
  3. stand — to bear
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. saw — the tool
  7. drill — the tool
  8. bound — certain
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. drill — a practice
  11. spell — letters
  12. charge — in control
  13. bound — obliged
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. craft — boats
  16. saw — the tool
  17. charge — electricity
  18. spell — magic
  19. spell — a short time
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bound — tied together
  23. drill — army training
  24. craft — a skill

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