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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pass · kid · tear · craft · ruler · file

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. kid — child
  3. craft — a skill
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. file — a document
  7. tear — to rip
  8. pass — a permit
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. tear — from crying
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. craft — boats
  16. tear — from crying
  17. file — a tool
  18. kid — to tease

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