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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 124 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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — a tool
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. hand — in cards
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. mark — a trace
  12. snap — to click
  13. hand — help
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mine — for digging
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. craft — a skill
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. craft — boats
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. mine — belonging to me

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