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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. wake — a trail
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. can — a tin
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. craft — boats
  9. can — a tin
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. club — for golf
  12. spell — a short time
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. craft — a skill
  15. board — a committee
  16. can — to be able to
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. spell — letters
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. spell — magic
  22. club — a group
  23. plane — a tool
  24. board — to get on

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