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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — a skill
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. deal — to handle
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. fine — all right
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. content — happy
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. content — the amount
  14. branch — a division
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. craft — boats
  17. court — of a king
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. court — of law
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. court — for sport
  24. plane — a tool

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