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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 116 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wind · plane · spell · ruler · club · craft

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. club — for golf
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — a short time
  6. craft — boats
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. club — for dancing
  10. club — a group
  11. spell — magic
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. wind — moving air
  14. craft — a skill
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. wind — moving air
  18. plane — a tool

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