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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.

Make a worksheet

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: suit · wind · pitcher · net · rule · craft · key · plane

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. rule — government
  3. suit — to fit
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. net — for catching
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. key — the most important part
  10. wind — moving air
  11. plane — a tool
  12. key — for a lock
  13. suit — clothes
  14. net — after costs
  15. net — in sport
  16. craft — boats
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. suit — in cards
  21. rule — a law
  22. key — in music
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. rule — to rule out

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