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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 · stock · rash · plane · ball · fan · lean · snap

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. ball — a dance
  4. plane — a tool
  5. craft — boats
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. ball — a great time
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. rash — a series
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. lean — thin
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. stock — goods
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. craft — a skill
  21. rash — hasty
  22. snap — to click
  23. stock — shares
  24. lean — to bend

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