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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. craft — boats
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. pop — soda
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. mine — for digging
  13. suit — in cards
  14. craft — a skill
  15. pop — music
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. suit — to fit
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. plane — a tool
  22. pop — to visit
  23. toast — bread
  24. suit — clothes

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