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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. root — the cause
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. ball — a great time
  7. march — the month
  8. craft — a skill
  9. root — of a word
  10. prune — to trim
  11. root — of a plant
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. craft — boats
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. ball — a dance
  16. mark — a trace
  17. saw — the tool
  18. prune — to trim
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. march — the month
  22. saw — the tool
  23. march — music
  24. mark — a grade

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