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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  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. plane — a tool
  2. march — music
  3. capital — money
  4. game — a match
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. bulb — for light
  9. craft — boats
  10. march — the month
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. bulb — for light
  15. craft — a skill
  16. capital — a city
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. game — wild animals
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. capital — a big letter
  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