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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: craft · dip · rock · pitch · fall · mate · ruler · band

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. craft — boats
  8. fall — the season
  9. rock — a stone
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. craft — a skill
  13. mate — a partner
  14. rock — music
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — to drop
  17. pitch — completely
  18. mate — a friend
  19. dip — to sink
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. band — a ring
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. mate — to breed

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