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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
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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: wound · rule · bear · key · spell · trunk · cue · wake

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. key — for a lock
  5. cue — for pool
  6. wound — an injury
  7. bear — the animal
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. rule — a law
  10. wound — an injury
  11. rule — government
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. spell — a short time
  15. key — in music
  16. key — the most important part
  17. spell — letters
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bear — the animal
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cue — a hint
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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