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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. hand — in cards
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a dance
  8. chair — a leader
  9. can — a tin
  10. foot — a measure
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. craft — boats
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. plane — a tool
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. ball — a great time
  20. saw — the tool
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. hand — help
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. saw — the tool

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