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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 116 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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. mark — a grade
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. craft — a skill
  8. mark — a trace
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. pop — soda
  11. pop — music
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. plane — a tool
  15. craft — boats
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pop — to visit
  21. season — in sport
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. season — of the year

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