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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 120 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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. craft — boats
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. chip — for betting
  10. chip — to eat
  11. cold — an illness
  12. pitch — completely
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. wound — an injury
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. wound — an injury
  22. cold — not warm
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. craft — a skill

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