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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. firm — steady
  3. craft — a skill
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. firm — decided
  6. rock — music
  7. snap — to click
  8. drill — army training
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. drill — a practice
  12. rock — a stone
  13. deal — to handle
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. drill — the tool
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. plane — a tool
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. craft — boats
  22. firm — a company
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. plane — an aircraft

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