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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: bound · mine · plane · mark · wake · deal · craft · season

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. mark — a trace
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. mine — for digging
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bound — certain
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — boats
  16. plane — a tool
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. season — of the year
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bound — tied together
  21. season — in sport
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. wake — a trail
  24. plane — in geometry

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