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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. fine — all right
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. cold — not warm
  8. rock — music
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. craft — a skill
  11. spring — the season
  12. craft — boats
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — a stone
  15. track — a song
  16. cold — an illness
  17. spring — a coil
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. spring — of water
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. track — to keep track
  23. track — a path
  24. fine — high quality

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