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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. craft — boats
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. track — a song
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bank — of a river
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mug — a face
  9. last — finally
  10. bank — for money
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. last — final
  13. track — a path
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. craft — a skill
  17. last — to go on
  18. bank — for money
  19. plane — a tool
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. track — to keep track
  22. suit — to fit
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. wound — an injury

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