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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 · mug · cap · last · key · ruler · band · leaves

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. 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. ruler — for measuring
  2. band — a music group
  3. last — finally
  4. key — for a lock
  5. craft — a skill
  6. cap — a lid
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. last — final
  9. key — the most important part
  10. cap — of ice
  11. mug — to rob
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. mug — a cup
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. cap — a hat
  18. key — in music
  19. band — a ring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. last — to go on
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. mug — a face
  24. 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