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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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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 · wake · stem · jam · stick · calf · pound · craft

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. craft — boats
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. stem — to come from
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. pound — a weight
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. wake — a trail
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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