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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: sharp · bear · ruler · stick · spell · craft

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. craft — boats
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. spell — a short time
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. craft — a skill
  11. spell — magic
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. spell — letters
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bear — the animal
  17. sharp — clever
  18. craft — a handicraft

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