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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. craft — a skill
  5. craft — boats
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rash — a series
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a great time
  14. pound — a weight
  15. rash — hasty
  16. ball — a dance
  17. branch — a division
  18. present — the time now
  19. foot — a measure
  20. present — a gift
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. present — there
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. plane — a 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