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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. suit — in cards
  3. pop — to visit
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. plane — a tool
  7. pop — music
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. craft — a skill
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. sharp — clever
  12. fine — all right
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. pound — a weight
  15. suit — clothes
  16. craft — boats
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. suit — to fit
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. pop — soda

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