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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: file · craft · wake · plane · ball · staff · foot · kid

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. wake — a trail
  3. plane — a tool
  4. kid — to tease
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. craft — boats
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. ball — a dance
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — a stick
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. kid — child
  15. ball — a great time
  16. file — a line of people
  17. staff — employees
  18. file — a tool
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. foot — a measure
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. file — a document
  24. foot — part of the body

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