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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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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: stick · patient · ruler · swing · sharp · spell · wind · bore

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. swing — in golf
  4. sharp — clever
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. swing — music
  7. spell — letters
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. swing — to play on
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. spell — a short time
  18. wind — moving air
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bore — to tire
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. patient — a sick person

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