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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 felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. craft — boats
  4. bank — for money
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. bat — the animal
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bank — of a river
  12. band — a ring
  13. last — finally
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. band — a music group
  18. craft — a skill
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. plane — a tool
  21. pass — a permit
  22. last — to go on
  23. bank — for money
  24. last — final

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