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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
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: ruler · spell · wake · stick · dip · staff · hand · board

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. spell — magic
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. dip — to sink
  9. staff — a stick
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. spell — letters
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. hand — help
  15. board — a committee
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. hand — in cards
  19. staff — employees
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. board — to get on
  22. staff — employees
  23. wake — a trail
  24. spell — a short 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