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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: rush · craft · spring · bore · kid · ruler · bank · object

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. bank — of a river
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. spring — of water
  5. object — to protest
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. craft — a skill
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. object — an aim
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. rush — hurry
  14. bank — for money
  15. craft — boats
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. spring — the season
  18. bore — to drill
  19. spring — a coil
  20. bank — for money
  21. kid — to tease
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. kid — child
  24. bore — to tire

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