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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.

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: ruler · spell · saw · wake · patient · stand · leaves · march

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  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. ruler — a monarch
  2. saw — the tool
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. spell — magic
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wake — a trail
  8. march — music
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. stand — to bear
  14. spell — letters
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. march — the month
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. march — the month
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. spell — a short time

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