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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. key — in music
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bear — the animal
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. bear — the animal
  12. prune — to trim
  13. craft — boats
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. plane — a tool
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. pound — a weight
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. key — for a lock
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. prune — to trim

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