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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. spell — a short time
  3. root — the cause
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. spell — letters
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. track — to keep track
  9. wake — a trail
  10. root — of a word
  11. spell — magic
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. root — of a plant
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. craft — boats
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. track — a path
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bore — to tire
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. track — a song
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. calf — a young animal

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