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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bass · craft · date · trunk · leaves · foot · lie · ruler

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bass — the fish
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. craft — boats
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. craft — a skill
  15. date — the fruit
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. bass — low music
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. lie — to recline
  20. foot — a measure
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. ruler — a monarch

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