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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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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: stand · craft · roll · jam · ruler · stick · ground · face

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. face — part of the head
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. ground — a position
  6. ground — the earth
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. face — to point toward
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. craft — boats
  13. craft — a skill
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. roll — a cake
  17. roll — a list
  18. ground — crushed
  19. face — to confront
  20. stand — to bear
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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