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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: saw · plane · craft · hide · bulb · file · race · fine

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. craft — a skill
  4. fine — all right
  5. race — humankind
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. bulb — for light
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. race — a contest
  12. plane — a tool
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. fine — high quality
  15. saw — the tool
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. saw — the tool
  19. file — a tool
  20. bulb — for light
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. race — the arms race
  23. file — a document
  24. bulb — of a plant

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