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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: kick · craft · foot · plane · bear · board · date · bass

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  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. plane — a tool
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. date — the fruit
  4. foot — a measure
  5. kick — in football
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bass — low music
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. board — a committee
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a skill
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. board — to get on
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. board — a flat piece
  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