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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. rest — what's left
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. capital — money
  11. march — the month
  12. plane — a tool
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. capital — a city
  15. rest — what's left
  16. march — music
  17. rest — a break
  18. branch — a division
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fine — all right
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. stand — to bear
  23. craft — a skill
  24. march — the month

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