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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. track — a song
  3. tear — from crying
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — a tool
  7. track — to keep track
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. ball — a great time
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. court — of law
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. track — a path
  15. ball — a dance
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. craft — boats
  19. tear — to rip
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. court — for sport
  23. craft — a skill
  24. court — of a king

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