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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: ruler · rest · pitcher · lean · bear · spell · wind · roll

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. wind — moving air
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. spell — a short time
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. spell — letters
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wind — moving air
  10. roll — a list
  11. lean — to bend
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. roll — a cake
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bear — the animal
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bear — the animal
  21. lean — thin
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. rest — a break

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