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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. root — the cause
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. plane — a tool
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. root — of a plant
  8. clip — a video
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. clip — to cut
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. craft — boats
  16. clip — for paper
  17. craft — a skill
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. prune — to trim
  22. snap — to click
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. prune — to trim

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