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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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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: temple · saw · rest · ruler · spell · bark · wave · branch

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. spell — letters
  5. rest — a break
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bark — to shout
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. spell — a short time
  15. spell — magic
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. saw — the tool
  18. rest — what's left
  19. branch — a division
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. rest — what's left
  24. wave — with your hand

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