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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. craft — boats
  5. game — a match
  6. bank — of a river
  7. mark — a grade
  8. plane — a tool
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. firm — decided
  12. mark — a trace
  13. present — a gift
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. present — there
  16. firm — steady
  17. game — wild animals
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bank — for money
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. craft — a skill
  22. firm — a company
  23. bank — for money
  24. present — the time now

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