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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 120 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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. craft — boats
  3. tube — the underground
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. staff — employees
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. branch — a division
  12. track — to keep track
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. track — a path
  15. staff — a stick
  16. track — a song
  17. staff — employees
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. craft — a skill
  23. content — happy
  24. content — the amount

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