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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. season — in sport
  3. club — for dancing
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. squash — the sport
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. club — a group
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. suit — in cards
  10. club — for golf
  11. suit — to fit
  12. present — the time now
  13. squash — to crush
  14. craft — a skill
  15. suit — clothes
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. hand — help
  18. craft — boats
  19. hand — in cards
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. present — a gift
  23. season — of the year
  24. present — there

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