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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. plane — a tool
  4. fine — all right
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. craft — a skill
  8. present — the time now
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. present — there
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. bulb — for light
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. row — a line
  20. present — a gift
  21. fine — high quality
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bulb — for light
  24. craft — boats

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