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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: leaves · ruler · pass · spell · sharp · last · racket · field

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. spell — a short time
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. pass — a permit
  7. field — for sport
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. sharp — clever
  11. last — to go on
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. field — a subject
  15. field — farmland
  16. last — finally
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. spell — letters
  24. last — final

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