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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 always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bound — certain
  3. plane — a tool
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. craft — boats
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. spring — of water
  11. wind — moving air
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. saw — the tool
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spring — the season
  18. craft — a skill
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bound — tied together
  21. saw — the tool
  22. wind — moving air
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. bound — obliged

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