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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. band — a music group
  5. craft — boats
  6. band — a ring
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pitch — completely
  10. plane — a tool
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. track — a song
  13. track — to keep track
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. track — a path
  16. ground — a position
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. ground — crushed
  20. ground — the earth
  21. craft — a skill
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. pitch — a sports field

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