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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 116 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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. lean — thin
  3. craft — a skill
  4. kick — in football
  5. rock — a stone
  6. craft — boats
  7. bulb — for light
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. prune — to trim
  11. rock — music
  12. track — to keep track
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. plane — a tool
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. track — a path
  18. track — a song
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bulb — for light
  24. craft — a handicraft

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