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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. root — of a plant
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. cue — for pool
  5. mate — a partner
  6. root — the cause
  7. cue — a signal
  8. snap — to click
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. mate — a friend
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. root — of a word
  16. mate — to breed
  17. cue — a hint
  18. craft — a skill

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