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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 116 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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. board — a committee
  5. cap — of ice
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — to bear
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. cell — a phone
  12. plane — a tool
  13. craft — a skill
  14. board — to get on
  15. cap — a hat
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. cap — a lid
  20. craft — boats
  21. kick — in football
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. cell — in biology
  24. kick — with a leg

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