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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. craft — boats
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. suit — clothes
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. track — to keep track
  8. kid — to tease
  9. suit — to fit
  10. track — a path
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. craft — a skill
  13. land — ground
  14. plane — a tool
  15. land — to come down
  16. land — a country
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. kid — child
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. suit — in cards
  23. chair — a leader
  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