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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: wave · bound · staff · pitcher · face · spell · ruler · mark

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. staff — a stick
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. mark — a trace
  7. face — to confront
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. bound — certain
  12. spell — letters
  13. face — to point toward
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bound — tied together
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. spell — magic
  19. staff — employees
  20. face — part of the head
  21. staff — employees
  22. mark — a grade
  23. spell — a short time
  24. pitcher — a jug

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