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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. cap — of ice
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mug — to rob
  6. firm — decided
  7. cap — a hat
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. mug — a face
  10. craft — boats
  11. plane — a tool
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. firm — steady
  15. craft — a skill
  16. firm — a company
  17. branch — a division
  18. plane — an aircraft

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