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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: stand · foot · roll · row · sharp · craft · plane · cap

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. plane — a tool
  3. cap — of ice
  4. craft — a skill
  5. roll — a list
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. row — to paddle
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. cap — a hat
  11. roll — a cake
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. row — a line
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. foot — a measure
  17. stand — to bear
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. cap — a lid
  22. sharp — clever
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. plane — an aircraft

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