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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 120 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: band · bowl · race · foot · craft · ruler · file · saw

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. saw — the tool
  3. file — a line of people
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. file — a tool
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. craft — boats
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. band — a ring
  12. file — a document
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. race — a contest
  18. race — humankind
  19. band — a music group
  20. race — the arms race
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. saw — the tool
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. foot — a measure

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