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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. degree — an amount
  6. snap — to click
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bore — to drill
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. degree — temperature
  11. tube — a container
  12. season — of the year
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. craft — a skill
  16. tube — the underground
  17. craft — boats
  18. mark — a trace
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. bore — to tire
  22. mark — a grade
  23. degree — from a university
  24. season — in sport

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