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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. game — a match
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. drill — army training
  6. wake — a trail
  7. plane — a tool
  8. mark — a trace
  9. present — there
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. staff — employees
  12. craft — a skill
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. game — wild animals
  16. present — a gift
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. staff — employees
  19. present — the time now
  20. staff — a stick
  21. drill — the tool
  22. mark — a grade
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. drill — a practice

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