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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: roll · craft · ruler · cabinet · land · toast · current · can

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. current — happening now
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. can — a tin
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. land — a country
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. roll — a list
  12. land — ground
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. current — of water
  16. can — to be able to
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. craft — a skill
  19. craft — boats
  20. can — a tin
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. toast — bread
  23. current — electric
  24. roll — a cake

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