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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. spring — the season
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. plane — a tool
  5. suit — to fit
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. suit — in cards
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. spring — of water
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. craft — a skill
  13. track — a path
  14. track — to keep track
  15. spring — a coil
  16. track — a song
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — boats
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. suit — clothes
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. straw — dry grass

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