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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. craft — boats
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. tube — a container
  6. kick — in football
  7. tube — the underground
  8. can — to be able to
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. wound — an injury
  12. present — there
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. can — a tin
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. can — a tin
  18. craft — a skill
  19. present — the time now
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. wound — an injury
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. present — a gift

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