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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: kick · sharp · straw · lean · plane · spell · deal · craft

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. sharp — clever
  3. craft — a skill
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — boats
  6. kick — in football
  7. spell — a short time
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. lean — thin
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. spell — magic
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. spell — letters
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. plane — a tool
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. deal — to handle
  24. deal — a big deal

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