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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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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: stick · pass · ruler · mouse · last · craft · plane · rash

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. last — to go on
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. rash — hasty
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. plane — a tool
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. craft — a skill
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. craft — boats
  14. pass — a permit
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. last — final
  19. last — finally
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. rash — a series
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. ruler — for measuring

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