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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 120 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: pop · sharp · craft · bowl · wake · kid · arm · ruler

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. kid — to tease
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. kid — child
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wake — a trail
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. sharp — clever
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. pop — soda
  19. pop — music
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a skill
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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