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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. root — of a word
  3. craft — a skill
  4. spring — the season
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — clever
  7. lean — to bend
  8. craft — boats
  9. present — there
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. present — the time now
  12. spring — a coil
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. root — of a plant
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. plane — a tool
  19. spring — of water
  20. pit — in a race
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. pit — a hole
  23. lean — thin
  24. present — a gift

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