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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bulb — for light
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bulb — for light
  5. craft — boats
  6. capital — a city
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. row — a line
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. club — a group
  11. track — a path
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. craft — a skill
  14. plane — a tool
  15. club — for golf
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. row — to paddle
  18. capital — money
  19. track — a song
  20. march — music
  21. march — the month
  22. club — for dancing
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. track — to keep track

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