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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: spell · row · suit · field · lean · content · ruler · stand

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lean — thin
  5. spell — a short time
  6. spell — letters
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. content — the amount
  9. field — farmland
  10. row — a line
  11. suit — to fit
  12. spell — magic
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. row — to paddle
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. suit — in cards
  19. field — for sport
  20. content — happy
  21. lean — to bend
  22. field — a subject
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stand — to bear

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