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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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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. root — of a plant
  4. ground — crushed
  5. court — for sport
  6. craft — boats
  7. court — of a king
  8. root — the cause
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. court — of law
  13. toast — bread
  14. ground — a position
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. craft — a skill
  18. root — of a word

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