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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. staff — a stick
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. root — the cause
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. club — a group
  7. last — final
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. club — for dancing
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rash — a series
  13. root — of a word
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. staff — employees
  17. mine — for digging
  18. last — to go on
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. root — of a plant
  21. club — for golf
  22. rash — hasty
  23. craft — a skill
  24. staff — employees

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