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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 ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. roll — a cake
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — a stick
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. root — of a word
  8. board — to get on
  9. pit — in a race
  10. root — the cause
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. board — a committee
  14. craft — a skill
  15. roll — a list
  16. pit — a hole
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. root — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. staff — employees
  21. bulb — for light
  22. perch — the fish
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. craft — boats

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