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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: craft · firm · plane · wind · lash · fan · jam · key

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. firm — steady
  4. key — the most important part
  5. wind — moving air
  6. key — for a lock
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a skill
  9. key — in music
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. plane — a tool
  15. wind — moving air
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. firm — decided
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. firm — a company
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. wind — to turn a key

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