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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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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: drill · snap · plane · pass · deal · capital · bay · craft

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. capital — a city
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. drill — army training
  6. plane — a tool
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. snap — to click
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. capital — money
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. drill — a practice
  18. drill — the tool
  19. craft — boats
  20. craft — a skill
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. deal — to handle

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