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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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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 · last · club · deal · rest · bass · ruler · plane

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. last — finally
  4. club — for golf
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. rest — a break
  7. bass — low music
  8. plane — a tool
  9. rest — what's left
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. rest — what's left
  12. last — to go on
  13. last — final
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bass — the fish
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. deal — to handle
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. craft — a skill
  22. club — for dancing
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. club — a group

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