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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. dip — to sink
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — a tool
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. capital — money
  8. craft — boats
  9. bear — the animal
  10. craft — a skill
  11. mate — a partner
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. bore — to tire
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. mate — a friend
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. capital — a city
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bore — to drill
  22. mate — to breed
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. ruler — a monarch

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