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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 116 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 · ruler · can · rush · fork · mark · stem · season

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. mark — a grade
  5. season — in sport
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. season — of the year
  17. fork — in a road
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. can — a tin
  20. stem — to come from
  21. mark — a trace
  22. rush — hurry
  23. craft — a skill
  24. fork — to eat with

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