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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 124 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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. plane — a tool
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. hand — in cards
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. craft — boats
  15. hand — help
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. stand — to bear
  19. season — of the year
  20. pound — a weight
  21. dip — to sink
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. season — in sport
  24. stand — for spectators

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