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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bass — the fish
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. firm — decided
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. spring — of water
  13. firm — a company
  14. spring — the season
  15. spring — a coil
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. plane — a tool
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bass — low music
  23. firm — steady
  24. cabinet — ministers

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