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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 120 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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. tear — from crying
  3. craft — a skill
  4. bulb — for light
  5. tear — to rip
  6. bass — the fish
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. rest — what's left
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bass — low music
  16. rest — a break
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. craft — boats
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. plane — a tool
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. tear — from crying

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