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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: mark · craft · fan · safe · calf · drill · band · ruler

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. craft — a skill
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. band — a ring
  6. craft — boats
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. mark — a trace
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. drill — army training
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. drill — the tool
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mark — a grade
  23. drill — a practice
  24. ruler — a monarch

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