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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: face · tear · ruler · fork · racket · craft

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. craft — a skill
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. craft — boats
  5. tear — to rip
  6. face — to confront
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. fork — in a road
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. tear — from crying
  14. face — to point toward
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. face — part of the head
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. tear — from crying

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