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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. present — the time now
  3. kid — child
  4. date — the fruit
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. kid — to tease
  10. present — there
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — boats
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. hand — in cards
  18. present — a gift
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. hand — help
  22. deal — to handle
  23. craft — a skill
  24. toast — bread

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