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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. file — a document
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. root — of a plant
  7. lean — to bend
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. root — of a word
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. craft — a skill
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. file — a tool
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. root — the cause
  17. lean — thin
  18. plane — a tool
  19. mark — a grade
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. craft — boats
  22. mark — a trace
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. mark — to pay attention

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