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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. club — for dancing
  3. rock — a stone
  4. spring — a coil
  5. spring — of water
  6. rock — music
  7. cap — a hat
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. deal — to handle
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. craft — boats
  12. suit — to fit
  13. club — a group
  14. club — for golf
  15. craft — a skill
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. suit — clothes
  19. spring — the season
  20. suit — in cards
  21. cap — of ice
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. plane — a tool

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