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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: rush · ruler · field · stem · craft · lash · tube · suit

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. suit — clothes
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. suit — to fit
  9. craft — boats
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rush — hurry
  12. tube — the underground
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. field — for sport
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. suit — in cards
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. field — farmland
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. field — a subject
  22. craft — a skill
  23. tube — a container
  24. ruler — for measuring

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