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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 120 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: craft · sharp · wake · leaves · object · club · plane · pound

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. craft — a skill
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — a tool
  5. club — a group
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. object — an aim
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — clever
  13. pound — a weight
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. craft — boats
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. wake — a trail
  20. object — to protest
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. object — a thing
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. club — for golf

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