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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.

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: pit · spell · file · ruler · temple · craft · staff · ball

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. ball — a great time
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. file — a document
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. staff — employees
  15. spell — a short time
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. spell — letters
  18. craft — a skill
  19. staff — a stick
  20. craft — boats
  21. file — a line of people
  22. spell — magic
  23. ball — a dance
  24. staff — employees

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