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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. fine — all right
  3. board — to get on
  4. craft — boats
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. wax — to grow
  8. craft — a skill
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. mine — for digging
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. tube — a container
  16. fine — high quality
  17. march — the month
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. march — the month
  22. board — a committee
  23. tube — the underground
  24. march — music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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