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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. craft — a skill
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — a tool
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. face — to confront
  7. craft — boats
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. game — wild animals
  10. pound — a weight
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. rest — what's left
  13. game — a match
  14. face — part of the head
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. face — to point toward
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. rest — a break

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