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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 · stand · key · craft · bark · wound · bowl · mouse

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. craft — boats
  6. craft — a skill
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — an injury
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. key — in music
  15. key — for a lock
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bark — to shout
  19. stand — to bear
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bowl — a dish

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