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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: kick · board · fan · kid · craft · stem · can · ruler

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. can — to be able to
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. kid — child
  5. can — a tin
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. craft — boats
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. board — to get on
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. craft — a skill
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. can — a tin
  20. stem — to come from
  21. kick — in football
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. kid — to tease
  24. board — a committee

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