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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.

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: ruler · cold · ball · sharp · last · field · stand · craft

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. field — farmland
  5. cold — not warm
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. ball — a dance
  9. field — a subject
  10. ball — a great time
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stand — to bear
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. field — for sport
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. last — to go on
  18. last — final
  19. last — finally
  20. sharp — clever
  21. craft — boats
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. cold — an illness

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