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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — boats
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. face — to confront
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — part of the head
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. perch — the fish
  13. suit — in cards
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. saw — the tool
  16. plane — a tool
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. suit — clothes
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pit — a hole
  24. saw — the 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