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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 116 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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. game — wild animals
  5. craft — boats
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. craft — a skill
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. game — a match
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. board — to get on
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. board — a committee
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. plane — in geometry

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