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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: bulb · pass · plane · craft · wind · calf · fan · staff

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. wind — moving air
  3. staff — employees
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — boats
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. plane — a tool
  10. pass — a permit
  11. staff — a stick
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. bulb — for light
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bulb — for light
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. wind — moving air
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. pass — to spend time

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