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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. craft — boats
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. plane — a tool
  7. key — for a lock
  8. track — a path
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. track — a song
  11. key — in music
  12. kid — child
  13. land — a country
  14. key — the most important part
  15. craft — a skill
  16. track — to keep track
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a dance
  22. kid — to tease
  23. land — ground
  24. land — to come down

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