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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  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. craft — a skill
  2. craft — boats
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. degree — from a university
  5. swing — music
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. degree — an amount
  9. degree — temperature
  10. plane — a tool
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. ball — a dance
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. vault — a safe
  16. ball — a great time
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. swing — to play on
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. season — of the year
  21. swing — in golf
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. season — in sport
  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