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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 · board · pop · march · can · cue · plane · sharp

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. march — the month
  4. can — a tin
  5. march — music
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. cue — a hint
  8. pop — music
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. pop — soda
  13. pop — to visit
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. march — the month
  16. cue — a signal
  17. can — a tin
  18. board — to get on
  19. can — to be able to
  20. cue — for pool
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. craft — a skill
  23. sharp — clever
  24. craft — boats

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