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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: net · present · stick · ruler · craft · deal · wake · bowl

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. net — for catching
  5. deal — to handle
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. net — after costs
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. craft — a skill
  16. craft — boats
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. wake — a trail
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. net — in sport
  22. present — a gift
  23. present — there
  24. present — the time now

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