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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: fine · ground · mouse · row · pass · plane · cabinet · craft

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. craft — boats
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. ground — a position
  15. fine — all right
  16. ground — the earth
  17. ground — crushed
  18. row — to paddle
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. fine — high quality
  21. row — a line
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. craft — a skill

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