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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. root — of a plant
  5. club — for dancing
  6. rock — music
  7. present — there
  8. root — the cause
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. club — a group
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. club — for golf
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. present — a gift
  19. root — of a word
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. rock — a stone
  22. present — the time now
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — to keep secret

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