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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. spell — letters
  4. rest — what's left
  5. plane — a tool
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. spell — magic
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. pit — in a race
  12. mark — a trace
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. craft — a skill
  15. rest — a break
  16. spell — a short time
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. pit — a hole
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. craft — boats
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. mark — a grade
  23. rest — what's left
  24. branch — a division

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