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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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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 · rock · arm · prune · ruler · dip · bowl · cabinet

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. craft — a skill
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rock — a stone
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. prune — to trim
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. rock — music
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. dip — to sink
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. prune — to trim
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. craft — boats
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. prune — the fruit

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