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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  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. plane — in geometry
  2. spring — of water
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. bass — the fish
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. spring — the season
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. key — for a lock
  9. bass — low music
  10. craft — boats
  11. key — the most important part
  12. plane — a tool
  13. key — in music
  14. spring — a coil
  15. current — electric
  16. season — in sport
  17. current — of water
  18. season — of the year
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. craft — a skill
  22. prune — to trim
  23. current — happening now
  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