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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: stick · craft · bark · saw · ruler · content · leaves · staff

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. staff — a stick
  6. staff — employees
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. content — happy
  11. staff — employees
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bark — to shout
  17. saw — the tool
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. content — the amount
  23. ruler — for measuring
  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