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

Word bank: ruler · craft · firm · foot · pass · stick

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. craft — boats
  4. firm — a company
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. firm — decided
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. craft — a skill
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. firm — steady
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. foot — a measure
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. ruler — for measuring

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