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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 116 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
468
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 · track · bat · craft · stick · kick · current · fine

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. plane — a tool
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. current — of water
  8. current — happening now
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. fine — high quality
  11. kick — in football
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. craft — a skill
  14. fine — all right
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. craft — boats
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a song
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. current — electric
  22. track — a path
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. kick — with a leg

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