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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: straw · craft · ruler · mouse · file · jam · stand · racket

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stand — to bear
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. craft — boats
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. file — a tool
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. file — a line of people
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. file — a document
  24. craft — a skill

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