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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: trunk · rule · date · craft · firm · game · ruler · mark

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  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. mark — a trace
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. rule — government
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — steady
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. rule — a law
  10. craft — boats
  11. game — a match
  12. mark — a grade
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. firm — a company
  16. game — wild animals
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. craft — a skill
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. date — the fruit
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. date — on the calendar
  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