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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: craft · ruler · row · branch · temple · wind

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. row — to paddle
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. row — a line
  8. craft — a skill
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. branch — a division
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. craft — boats
  17. wind — moving air
  18. temple — a place of worship

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