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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. court — of a king
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. staff — employees
  5. rock — music
  6. prune — to trim
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. court — for sport
  9. craft — boats
  10. staff — a stick
  11. court — of law
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. staff — employees
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. prune — to trim
  18. rock — a stone
  19. plane — a tool
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. craft — a skill
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. pitcher — a jug

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