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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. root — of a plant
  3. craft — a skill
  4. squash — to crush
  5. bear — the animal
  6. squash — the sport
  7. current — happening now
  8. suit — clothes
  9. current — of water
  10. branch — a division
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. field — a subject
  13. root — of a word
  14. current — electric
  15. suit — in cards
  16. root — the cause
  17. bear — the animal
  18. field — for sport
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. field — farmland
  21. suit — to fit
  22. craft — boats
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. bear — to put up with

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