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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. craft — a skill
  3. roll — a list
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a great time
  8. cold — an illness
  9. roll — a cake
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. staff — employees
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. staff — employees
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. root — the cause
  18. chair — a leader
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. root — of a word
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. craft — boats
  23. cold — not warm
  24. staff — a stick

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