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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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. craft — boats
  4. capital — money
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. stand — to bear
  10. drill — army training
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. capital — a city
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. drill — a practice
  21. can — a tin
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. drill — the tool
  24. plane — in geometry

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