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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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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 · sharp · craft · pound · lie · drill · club · bass

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. club — a group
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. club — for dancing
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bass — the fish
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. drill — a practice
  12. craft — boats
  13. drill — the tool
  14. lie — to recline
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. drill — army training
  17. bass — low music
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. pound — a weight
  20. sharp — clever
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. club — for golf
  24. pound — to hit hard

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