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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 120 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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. craft — a skill
  3. plane — a tool
  4. can — a tin
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. season — of the year
  8. craft — boats
  9. can — to be able to
  10. snap — to click
  11. can — a tin
  12. net — in sport
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. net — after costs
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — to get on
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. net — for catching
  21. season — in sport
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. board — a committee
  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