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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.

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: stick · plane · pitcher · can · mark · mate · craft · swing

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mate — a partner
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. swing — music
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. craft — boats
  10. swing — in golf
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. craft — a skill
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. plane — a tool
  15. mark — a grade
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. swing — to play on
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mate — to breed
  21. can — to be able to
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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