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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. mate — to breed
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. craft — a skill
  7. mate — a partner
  8. capital — a city
  9. mate — a friend
  10. spring — a coil
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. toast — bread
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. capital — money
  18. spring — the season
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. craft — boats
  22. fine — all right
  23. plane — a tool
  24. spring — of water

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