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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. craft — a skill
  3. firm — a company
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. firm — decided
  6. spring — a coil
  7. drill — the tool
  8. spring — of water
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. track — to keep track
  11. track — a path
  12. scale — size or range
  13. firm — steady
  14. track — a song
  15. drill — a practice
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. spring — the season
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bulb — for light
  20. craft — boats
  21. bulb — for light
  22. scale — in music
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. drill — army training

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