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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.

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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: staff · straw · temple · stick · firm · plane · last · craft

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. firm — a company
  5. staff — employees
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. staff — employees
  8. last — final
  9. last — finally
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — boats
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. last — to go on
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. firm — steady
  18. plane — a tool
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. craft — a skill
  22. staff — a stick
  23. firm — decided
  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