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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: ground · sharp · craft · toast · ruler · lean · key · band

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. band — a ring
  3. lean — to bend
  4. sharp — clever
  5. key — the most important part
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. ground — crushed
  10. ground — a position
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. key — for a lock
  13. ground — the earth
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. toast — bread
  16. lean — thin
  17. craft — boats
  18. band — a music group
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. craft — a skill
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. key — in music
  24. ruler — a monarch

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