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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: dip · row · fork · calf · craft · swing · plane · stand

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. plane — a tool
  5. fork — in a road
  6. swing — to play on
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. row — a line
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. craft — a skill
  12. craft — boats
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stand — to bear
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. swing — music
  17. swing — in golf
  18. dip — to sink
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. row — to paddle
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. plane — in geometry

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