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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: spring · straw · leaves · craft · cell · pop · ruler · ball

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cell — in biology
  5. pop — to visit
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. pop — soda
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ball — a dance
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. spring — a coil
  14. spring — of water
  15. cell — a phone
  16. pop — music
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. spring — the season
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. craft — boats
  24. craft — a skill

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