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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. rule — government
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. root — of a plant
  7. craft — boats
  8. rule — a law
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. object — an aim
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. object — a thing
  13. craft — a skill
  14. object — to protest
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. root — of a word
  17. fork — in a road
  18. rule — to rule out

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