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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: rush · ruler · wound · lie · toast · pass · fork · spell

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. spell — a short time
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. lie — to recline
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. wound — an injury
  9. spell — letters
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. toast — bread
  12. rush — hurry
  13. wound — an injury
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pass — a permit
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. fork — in a road
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. pass — to spend time

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