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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 120 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: plane · pit · object · bore · land · craft · row · bulb

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bulb — for light
  4. object — an aim
  5. row — a line
  6. land — to come down
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bulb — for light
  11. object — to protest
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. object — a thing
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. pit — in a race
  18. plane — a tool
  19. land — ground
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — boats
  22. pit — a hole
  23. row — to paddle
  24. land — a country

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