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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. date — the fruit
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. craft — boats
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. squash — the sport
  22. plane — a tool
  23. squash — to crush
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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