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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 116 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 · ruler · bowl · craft · tube · straw

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. wind — moving air
  5. tube — the underground
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. craft — a skill
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. tube — a container
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. craft — boats

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