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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mine — for digging
  6. can — a tin
  7. staff — employees
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. rash — a series
  12. staff — a stick
  13. can — a tin
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. mark — a trace
  16. craft — boats
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. bat — the animal
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. staff — employees
  22. rash — hasty
  23. craft — a skill
  24. plane — a 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