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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. craft — boats
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. date — the fruit
  7. current — electric
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. object — a thing
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. rush — hurry
  13. root — the cause
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. root — of a word
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. object — to protest
  18. current — happening now
  19. root — of a plant
  20. current — of water
  21. craft — a skill
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. object — an aim
  24. date — on the calendar

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