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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: craft · ruler · hand · mug · toast · firm · cold · bore

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. craft — a skill
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. craft — boats
  6. bore — to tire
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. cold — an illness
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mug — a face
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. cold — not warm
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. toast — bread
  19. bore — to drill
  20. hand — help
  21. firm — decided
  22. hand — in cards
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — a company

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