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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 116 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: spell · lean · prune · chair · bark · fine · track · ruler

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. spell — magic
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. bark — to shout
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. spell — letters
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. lean — thin
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. prune — to trim
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a path
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. chair — a leader
  18. spell — a short time
  19. lean — to bend
  20. fine — high quality
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. track — a song
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. prune — to trim

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