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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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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: plane · chip · craft · patient · pound · swing

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. plane — a tool
  4. pound — a weight
  5. chip — for betting
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — boats
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. swing — music
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chip — to eat
  13. swing — to play on
  14. swing — in golf
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. plane — in geometry

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