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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 120 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 · rush · rock · fork · ball · tube · last · ruler

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. fork — in a road
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. craft — a skill
  9. rush — hurry
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. last — final
  15. ball — a dance
  16. rock — a stone
  17. last — to go on
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. last — finally
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. tube — a container
  22. ball — a great time
  23. tube — the underground
  24. rock — music

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