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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  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. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. last — finally
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. last — to go on
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. plane — a tool
  8. craft — boats
  9. pass — a permit
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. last — final
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. craft — a skill
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. deal — to handle
  17. wave — with your hand
  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