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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. craft — a skill
  5. suit — to fit
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. roll — a cake
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. roll — a list
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. wake — a trail
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. suit — clothes
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. suit — in cards

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