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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. staff — a stick
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. staff — employees
  6. fine — high quality
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. craft — a skill
  9. mark — a grade
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fine — all right
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. mark — a trace
  17. plane — a tool
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. staff — employees
  24. plane — an aircraft

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