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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: root · plane · current · craft · stand · lash · straw · cabinet

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. current — of water
  3. stand — to bear
  4. craft — boats
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. root — the cause
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. root — of a word
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. root — of a plant
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. plane — a tool
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. current — happening now
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. craft — a skill
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. current — electric

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