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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. kick — in football
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. craft — boats
  5. craft — a skill
  6. firm — decided
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. track — a song
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. track — a path
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. firm — a company
  14. rash — a series
  15. firm — steady
  16. rash — hasty
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. track — to keep track
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — a big deal
  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