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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. craft — a skill
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. present — there
  9. craft — boats
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. toast — bread
  14. pitch — completely
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. present — the time now
  19. present — a gift
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. deal — to handle
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. kick — in football
  24. craft — a handicraft

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