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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: ruler · stem · swing · wind · file · spell · firm · bound

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wind — moving air
  3. file — a line of people
  4. wind — moving air
  5. spell — magic
  6. spell — a short time
  7. bound — certain
  8. swing — in golf
  9. stem — to come from
  10. firm — steady
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. file — a document
  13. firm — a company
  14. bound — obliged
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. swing — to play on
  17. file — a tool
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. firm — decided
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. spell — letters
  23. bound — tied together
  24. swing — music

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