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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. branch — a division
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cue — a hint
  9. craft — boats
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — for money
  13. plane — a tool
  14. cue — a signal
  15. bank — of a river
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. craft — a handicraft

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