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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. key — the most important part
  5. content — happy
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. key — in music
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. content — the amount
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. plane — a tool
  14. craft — a skill
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. craft — boats
  17. key — for a lock
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. present — a gift
  20. present — there
  21. present — the time now
  22. stem — to come from
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. lash — an eyelash

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