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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.

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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: rule · kid · ruler · craft · spell · bear · jam · shower

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bear — the animal
  4. kid — to tease
  5. bear — the animal
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. kid — child
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rule — a law
  12. spell — letters
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. craft — boats
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. spell — a short time
  18. spell — magic
  19. shower — rain
  20. shower — to wash
  21. craft — a skill
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. rule — government

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