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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: craft · bore · stick · straw · mine · file · mark · arm

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. file — a line of people
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. file — a document
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mine — for digging
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. file — a tool
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bore — to tire
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. craft — boats
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. craft — a skill
  24. mark — a grade

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