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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. game — a match
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. plane — a tool
  9. craft — a skill
  10. sharp — clever
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. club — a group
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. club — for golf
  18. club — for dancing
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. wake — a trail
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. craft — boats
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. game — wild animals

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