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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. mark — a grade
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. wound — an injury
  9. branch — a division
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. craft — a skill
  15. plane — a tool
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. craft — boats
  19. shower — to wash
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. mark — a trace
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. shower — rain

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