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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 120 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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. root — of a plant
  4. root — the cause
  5. mate — a partner
  6. staff — a stick
  7. root — of a word
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. staff — employees
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. craft — a skill
  15. mate — to breed
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. mate — a friend
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. craft — boats
  24. safe — a strongbox

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