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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 116 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: craft · spell · lie · bulb · band · plane · chair · dip

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. spell — a short time
  3. band — a music group
  4. spell — letters
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. band — a ring
  10. dip — to sink
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bulb — for light
  13. plane — a tool
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. craft — boats
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. spell — magic
  22. craft — a skill
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chair — a professorship

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