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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. craft — a skill
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. craft — boats
  5. plane — a tool
  6. wind — moving air
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. land — to come down
  9. wind — moving air
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. mug — to rob
  12. land — ground
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. mug — a cup
  17. last — to go on
  18. mug — a face
  19. last — finally
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. land — a country
  24. last — final

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