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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 116 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: land · mate · craft · object · sharp · ruler · rest · fine

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. rest — what's left
  3. mate — a partner
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. object — a thing
  6. mate — to breed
  7. land — ground
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. object — to protest
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. rest — a break
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. sharp — clever
  15. mate — a friend
  16. craft — a skill
  17. fine — high quality
  18. land — to come down
  19. land — a country
  20. object — an aim
  21. rest — what's left
  22. fine — all right
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. craft — boats

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