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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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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: trunk · plane · file · rest · craft · stick · fan · net

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. net — for catching
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. craft — boats
  6. net — after costs
  7. file — a tool
  8. file — a line of people
  9. craft — a skill
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. file — a document
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. rest — what's left
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rest — a break
  20. plane — a tool
  21. rest — what's left
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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