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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. court — of law
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. rash — hasty
  8. pit — in a race
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. court — of a king
  11. toast — bread
  12. craft — boats
  13. rash — a series
  14. file — a document
  15. rest — what's left
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. plane — a tool
  18. rest — what's left
  19. court — for sport
  20. pit — a hole
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. file — a line of people
  23. file — a tool
  24. rest — a break

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