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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: squash · club · tube · plane · net · fine · craft · safe

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. craft — a skill
  3. club — for golf
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. net — in sport
  6. club — for dancing
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. club — a group
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. plane — a tool
  12. net — after costs
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. squash — the sport
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. fine — high quality
  20. tube — a container
  21. squash — to crush
  22. tube — the underground
  23. fine — all right
  24. net — for catching

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