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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: root · plane · arm · pop · craft · rush · game · sharp

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. sharp — clever
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. game — a match
  8. root — of a word
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. pop — to visit
  11. root — of a plant
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — boats
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — hurry
  16. pop — soda
  17. root — the cause
  18. pop — music
  19. craft — a skill
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. game — wild animals
  23. plane — a tool
  24. sharp — exactly

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