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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pit — in a race
  5. mate — to breed
  6. root — of a plant
  7. pit — a hole
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. mine — for digging
  10. mark — a grade
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a trace
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. mate — a partner
  18. craft — boats
  19. root — of a word
  20. root — the cause
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. mate — a friend
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. mine — belonging to me

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