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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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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: firm · craft · rash · ruler · kid · wax · saw · arm

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. saw — the tool
  4. kid — to tease
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. kid — child
  7. rash — a series
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. firm — steady
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. rash — hasty
  13. craft — a skill
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. wax — to grow
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. craft — boats
  21. firm — decided
  22. firm — a company
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. wax — for sculpting

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