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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 · wind · mate · fan · key · bat · craft · arm

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — moving air
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — a skill
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. key — the most important part
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. mate — a partner
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. key — in music
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. key — for a lock
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. bat — the animal
  21. mate — to breed
  22. plane — a tool
  23. mate — a friend
  24. craft — boats

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