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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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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: face · craft · bay · plane · season · pit · mark · ruler

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. pit — a hole
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. season — in sport
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. season — of the year
  13. pit — in a race
  14. face — to confront
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. mark — a grade
  17. face — to point toward
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. face — part of the head
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. craft — a skill
  24. mark — a trace

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