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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. clip — to cut
  4. last — final
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. craft — a skill
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. current — electric
  11. club — a group
  12. last — finally
  13. club — for golf
  14. content — happy
  15. craft — boats
  16. last — to go on
  17. content — the amount
  18. clip — a video
  19. pass — a permit
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. current — of water
  22. club — for dancing
  23. clip — for paper
  24. current — happening now

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