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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 112 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: club · object · pound · fall · ruler · safe · spell · staff

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. fall — the season
  3. spell — a short time
  4. fall — to drop
  5. club — for dancing
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. spell — magic
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. club — a group
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. staff — employees
  12. pound — a weight
  13. object — to protest
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. fall — to drop
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. staff — employees
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. object — an aim
  20. spell — letters
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. object — a thing
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. club — for golf

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