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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: stick · wake · ruler · vault · craft · root

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. vault — a safe
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. root — of a word
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — boats
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. root — the cause
  14. wake — a trail
  15. root — of a plant
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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