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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 116 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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. craft — boats
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bank — for money
  10. cold — not warm
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. root — of a word
  13. pass — a permit
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. cold — an illness
  20. root — the cause
  21. bank — of a river
  22. root — of a plant
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. craft — a skill

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