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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: wind · dip · pound · craft · lean · ruler

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. lean — to bend
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. lean — thin
  7. craft — a skill
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — boats
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. pound — a weight
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. dip — to sink
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. wind — moving air

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