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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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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 · game · jam · ruler · rest · prune · bay · chest

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. game — a match
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. chest — of your body
  13. prune — to trim
  14. game — wild animals
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. craft — a skill
  17. chest — of your body
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. prune — to trim
  22. chest — a box
  23. rest — what's left
  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