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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — a skill
  5. snap — to click
  6. prune — to trim
  7. plane — a tool
  8. pop — to visit
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. prune — to trim
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. pop — soda
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. pop — music
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. craft — boats

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