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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. can — a tin
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. pound — a weight
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bulb — for light
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. wake — a trail
  16. plane — a tool
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. craft — boats
  19. chair — a leader
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. wake — before a funeral

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