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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · pitcher · spring · toast · craft · bear · charge · staff

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. staff — a stick
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. charge — a price
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. spring — the season
  11. charge — electricity
  12. toast — bread
  13. staff — employees
  14. spring — of water
  15. spring — a coil
  16. charge — in control
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. craft — boats
  19. staff — employees
  20. craft — a skill
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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