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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. root — the cause
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. spring — the season
  5. bark — to shout
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. root — of a plant
  8. suit — clothes
  9. rock — a stone
  10. suit — in cards
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. face — to confront
  14. face — part of the head
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. spring — of water
  17. face — to point toward
  18. craft — a skill
  19. suit — to fit
  20. root — of a word
  21. spring — a coil
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. craft — boats
  24. rock — music

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