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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. plane — a tool
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. craft — boats
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bound — tied together
  7. current — electric
  8. charge — a price
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. prune — to trim
  11. current — of water
  12. bound — obliged
  13. current — happening now
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. pitch — completely
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. hand — help
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. hand — in cards
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bound — certain

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