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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. band — a music group
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. date — the fruit
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. craft — boats
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. craft — a skill
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. net — for catching
  13. net — after costs
  14. spell — magic
  15. lean — to bend
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. net — in sport
  18. band — a ring
  19. spell — a short time
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. lean — thin
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. spell — letters

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