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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.

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 · track · mouse · kid · nail · ball · craft · can

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. can — to be able to
  3. ball — a great time
  4. track — to keep track
  5. kid — to tease
  6. craft — a skill
  7. track — a song
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. track — a path
  10. can — a tin
  11. ball — a dance
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. can — a tin
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. kid — child
  17. craft — boats
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. nail — for a hammer

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