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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 spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. degree — an amount
  7. degree — temperature
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rash — a series
  12. craft — boats
  13. track — to keep track
  14. can — a tin
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. can — to be able to
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — a tool
  19. can — a tin
  20. degree — from a university
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. track — a song
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. track — a path

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