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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: wound · band · squash · game · bowl · ruler · cabinet · spell

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — a short time
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. spell — letters
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. band — a ring
  7. wound — an injury
  8. game — a match
  9. band — a music group
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. wound — an injury
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. squash — to crush
  18. game — wild animals
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. squash — the sport
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. ruler — a monarch

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