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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 120 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: ruler · deal · craft · bore · pound · spring · field · ball

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. field — a subject
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. spring — a coil
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. ball — a dance
  10. craft — boats
  11. deal — to handle
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bore — to tire
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. field — farmland
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bore — to drill
  19. spring — of water
  20. field — for sport
  21. spring — the season
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. pound — a weight
  24. ball — a great time

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