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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: bay · dip · plane · fork · craft · spring

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. craft — a skill
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. spring — of water
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. spring — the season
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. spring — a coil
  12. dip — to sink
  13. fork — in a road
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. craft — boats

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