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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. craft — boats
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. cap — a hat
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. bank — for money
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. row — to paddle
  12. bank — of a river
  13. hand — help
  14. hand — in cards
  15. last — to go on
  16. last — finally
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cap — a lid
  19. craft — a skill
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. bank — for money
  22. last — final
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — a monarch

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