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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: foot · fine · board · bat · ruler · tube · stem · craft

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. fine — all right
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. craft — a skill
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. board — to get on
  12. craft — boats
  13. fine — high quality
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. foot — a measure
  17. tube — the underground
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. tube — a container
  21. board — a committee
  22. stem — to come from
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. bat — the animal

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