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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. craft — a skill
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. last — final
  7. mug — a cup
  8. hand — in cards
  9. last — to go on
  10. last — finally
  11. plane — a tool
  12. pitch — completely
  13. hand — help
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. mug — a face
  17. foot — a measure
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. mug — to rob

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