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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: mug · foot · object · nail · bat · craft · ball · plane

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. ball — a great time
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mug — a face
  7. ball — a dance
  8. object — a thing
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bat — the animal
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. plane — a tool
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. object — to protest
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. mug — a cup
  21. object — an aim
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. foot — a measure
  24. craft — a skill

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