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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
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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: rock · plane · craft · trunk · bear · cue · ground · file

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. cue — for pool
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. rock — a stone
  7. bear — the animal
  8. cue — a signal
  9. file — a tool
  10. file — a document
  11. plane — a tool
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. craft — boats
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. craft — a skill
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. cue — a hint
  19. ground — crushed
  20. ground — a position
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. file — a line of people
  24. rock — music

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