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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 116 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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. plane — a tool
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. row — to paddle
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. pit — in a race
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. craft — a skill
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. pit — a hole
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. mouse — the animal

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