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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. hand — help
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. hand — in cards
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. date — the fruit
  10. fine — high quality
  11. vault — a safe
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — boats
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. plane — a tool
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. fine — all right
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wound — an injury
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. wound — an injury

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