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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: firm · mine · plane · ground · rock · last · craft · nail

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — a tool
  4. rock — a stone
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. last — finally
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. ground — crushed
  11. mine — for digging
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. rock — music
  14. last — final
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. last — to go on
  17. firm — decided
  18. craft — boats
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — steady
  21. ground — a position
  22. craft — a skill
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. ground — the earth

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