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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 116 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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. rest — a break
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. field — farmland
  6. craft — boats
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. rock — music
  11. branch — a division
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. craft — a skill
  15. field — a subject
  16. rest — what's left
  17. field — for sport
  18. rock — a stone
  19. hand — in cards
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. hand — help
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. ruler — for measuring

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