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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: bear · ruler · saw · sharp · club · lean · cell · roll

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. lean — thin
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. club — for golf
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. cell — in biology
  9. club — for dancing
  10. saw — the tool
  11. sharp — clever
  12. cell — a phone
  13. roll — a list
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. roll — a cake
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. lean — to bend
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. club — a group
  22. bear — the animal
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. bear — the animal

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