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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: last · deal · craft · plane · trunk · squash · fan · roll

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. squash — to crush
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. roll — a cake
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. last — final
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. roll — a list
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. deal — to handle
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. last — to go on
  19. plane — a tool
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. craft — a skill
  22. craft — boats
  23. last — finally
  24. squash — the sport

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