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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: ruler · ball · cabinet · bore · mate · firm · craft · chest

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. firm — a company
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. chest — of your body
  6. craft — a skill
  7. ball — a great time
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. firm — steady
  10. bore — to drill
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. firm — decided
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. mate — to breed
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — boats
  17. ball — a dance
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. mate — a friend
  20. chest — a box
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. chest — of your body

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