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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.

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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: bank · spring · ruler · sharp · bark · spell · firm · lie

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. bank — for money
  5. spring — the season
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. spell — letters
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. spring — of water
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. sharp — clever
  12. spell — a short time
  13. lie — to recline
  14. spring — a coil
  15. firm — decided
  16. bank — of a river
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. firm — a company
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. firm — steady
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bank — for money
  24. spell — magic

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