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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. root — of a plant
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. field — for sport
  5. wind — moving air
  6. field — a subject
  7. craft — a skill
  8. wind — moving air
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. firm — steady
  11. charge — electricity
  12. firm — a company
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — a price
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. lie — to recline
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. root — the cause
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. field — farmland
  22. craft — boats
  23. root — of a word
  24. lie — an untruth

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