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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. craft — boats
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. root — of a word
  5. spell — a short time
  6. root — of a plant
  7. object — an aim
  8. track — a song
  9. craft — a skill
  10. track — a path
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bank — for money
  13. ball — a dance
  14. object — to protest
  15. root — the cause
  16. track — to keep track
  17. ball — a great time
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bank — for money
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bank — of a river
  22. spell — letters
  23. spell — magic
  24. coach — a trainer

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