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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: plane · fall · sharp · craft · rule · arm · kick · present

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  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 — a handicraft
  2. fall — to drop
  3. present — there
  4. fall — the season
  5. rule — government
  6. craft — boats
  7. rule — a law
  8. present — the time now
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. kick — in football
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. present — a gift
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. sharp — clever
  21. fall — to drop
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. kick — a thrill
  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