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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. spell — letters
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. cell — in biology
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. craft — boats
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. craft — a skill
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. spell — a short time
  14. cell — a phone
  15. sharp — clever
  16. plane — a tool
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. stand — to bear
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. fine — all right
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. spell — magic
  24. rock — music

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