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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. craft — boats
  3. mark — a trace
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pit — a hole
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. root — the cause
  9. bank — for money
  10. root — of a word
  11. bank — for money
  12. root — of a plant
  13. deal — to handle
  14. pit — in a race
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. craft — a skill
  18. mark — a grade

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