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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: row · craft · bulb · nail · plane · game · squash · mine

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. craft — a skill
  6. mine — for digging
  7. row — a line
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. game — a match
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. squash — to crush
  20. craft — boats
  21. plane — a tool
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. squash — the sport
  24. game — wild animals

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