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

Word bank: craft · plane · wind · fall · present · drill

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. drill — a practice
  3. fall — the season
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wind — moving air
  6. present — a gift
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. fall — to drop
  9. present — there
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a skill
  12. present — the time now
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. drill — the tool
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. fall — to drop
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. drill — army training

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