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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 120 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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. face — part of the head
  4. wound — an injury
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bulb — for light
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. last — final
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. craft — boats
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. face — to point toward
  16. last — finally
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. face — to confront
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. plane — a tool
  22. wound — an injury
  23. mine — for digging
  24. last — to go on

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