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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: pit · foot · craft · hide · charge · plane · mark · straw

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. mark — a grade
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — boats
  6. charge — in control
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — a tool
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. mark — a trace
  13. craft — a skill
  14. charge — electricity
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. pit — a hole
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. charge — a price
  19. foot — a measure
  20. pit — in a race
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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