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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 116 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 took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. can — a tin
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. cell — a phone
  6. track — a path
  7. can — to be able to
  8. net — in sport
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. shower — rain
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. can — a tin
  14. plane — a tool
  15. net — after costs
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. track — to keep track
  18. craft — boats
  19. shower — to wash
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. track — a song
  22. cell — in biology
  23. craft — a skill
  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