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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: content · ruler · date · board · craft · leaves · stick · present

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. board — to get on
  7. present — a gift
  8. date — the fruit
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. craft — boats
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. content — happy
  16. present — the time now
  17. board — a committee
  18. content — the amount
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. present — there
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. content — videos and posts

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