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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: foot · bowl · craft · track · ruler · suit · wave · cold

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. foot — a measure
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. track — to keep track
  5. suit — to fit
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. track — a song
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. cold — an illness
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. track — a path
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. suit — clothes
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. cold — not warm
  23. craft — boats
  24. craft — a skill

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