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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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. firm — steady
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. firm — a company
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. scale — in music
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. root — the cause
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. root — of a plant
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. mine — for digging
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. firm — decided
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. craft — boats
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. craft — a skill
  23. scale — size or range
  24. toast — bread

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