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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 120 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: ground · bark · wake · bulb · spell · ruler · arm · rest

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — a short time
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bulb — for light
  9. wake — a trail
  10. spell — letters
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bulb — for light
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ground — the earth
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — a break
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. ground — crushed
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. ground — a position

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