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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. court — of law
  9. mark — a grade
  10. stand — to bear
  11. craft — boats
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mark — a trace
  15. net — in sport
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. plane — a tool
  18. net — for catching
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. court — for sport
  23. court — of a king
  24. net — after costs

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