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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. rule — a law
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. ground — crushed
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. rule — government
  11. root — of a plant
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. craft — boats
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. ground — the earth
  17. plane — a tool
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. root — the cause
  20. ground — a position
  21. craft — a skill
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. root — of a word

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