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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 · bore · ruler · track · court · wave · cabinet · wound

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. bore — to drill
  3. wound — an injury
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. court — for sport
  6. track — a song
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. track — to keep track
  9. wound — an injury
  10. spell — a short time
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. court — of a king
  13. bore — to tire
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. track — a path
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. spell — letters
  20. court — of law
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. ruler — for measuring

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