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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 · object · jam · bound · wound · bear · drill · spell

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — an injury
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. spell — magic
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. object — to protest
  10. object — a thing
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bound — tied together
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bound — certain
  15. drill — a practice
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — a short time
  18. bear — the animal
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. drill — army training
  21. bound — obliged
  22. object — an aim
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. drill — the tool

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