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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. craft — boats
  3. face — part of the head
  4. march — the month
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. face — to point toward
  9. season — of the year
  10. craft — a skill
  11. face — to confront
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. march — music
  15. ball — a dance
  16. plane — a tool
  17. wake — a trail
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. ball — a great time
  20. dip — to sink
  21. season — in sport
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. march — the month
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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