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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 120 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: bat · spell · ruler · lie · board · bank · sharp · drill

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. drill — army training
  4. drill — a practice
  5. spell — magic
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. board — a committee
  10. bank — for money
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. drill — the tool
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. spell — letters
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — to get on
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. lie — to recline
  20. bat — the animal
  21. spell — a short time
  22. bank — for money
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. sharp — clever

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