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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 120 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: fork · bear · chair · ruler · craft · racket

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. craft — boats
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. chair — a leader
  7. bear — the animal
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. craft — a skill
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bear — the animal

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