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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.

Make a worksheet

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: spell · content · ruler · bear · present · leaves · mine · toast

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  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. bear — the animal
  2. spell — letters
  3. present — the time now
  4. toast — bread
  5. bear — the animal
  6. content — the amount
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. present — a gift
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. content — happy
  14. spell — magic
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. present — there
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. mine — for digging
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. spell — a short time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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