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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — to come from
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. saw — the tool
  6. pass — a permit
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. plane — a tool
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. key — for a lock
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a skill
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. sharp — clever
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. key — the most important part
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. saw — the tool
  24. key — in music

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