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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. rash — hasty
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. root — of a plant
  5. cap — a hat
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bass — low music
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — boats
  10. root — of a word
  11. rest — a break
  12. cap — a lid
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. bass — the fish
  16. root — the cause
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. rest — what's left
  20. cap — of ice
  21. rash — a series
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. pass — to spend time

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