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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. craft — boats
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. rock — a stone
  7. file — a document
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. rock — music
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. file — a line of people
  13. plane — a tool
  14. firm — steady
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. file — a tool
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. sharp — clever
  21. bass — the fish
  22. firm — decided
  23. bass — low music
  24. craft — a skill

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