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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: craft · rock · fan · chest · ruler · mine · drill · mug

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. chest — a box
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. chest — of your body
  6. rock — a stone
  7. craft — boats
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. mug — to rob
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rock — music
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mug — a face
  15. mine — for digging
  16. craft — a skill
  17. chest — of your body
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. drill — the tool
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. drill — a practice
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. mug — a cup
  24. drill — army training

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