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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  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. kick — in football
  2. craft — boats
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. saw — the tool
  6. row — a line
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. craft — a skill
  9. mug — a face
  10. saw — the tool
  11. mug — to rob
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. mug — a cup
  20. row — to paddle
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — a tool
  23. safe — out of danger
  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