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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 116 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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. root — the cause
  3. season — in sport
  4. firm — steady
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. object — a thing
  7. pass — a permit
  8. craft — boats
  9. root — of a plant
  10. craft — a skill
  11. season — of the year
  12. row — to paddle
  13. object — an aim
  14. bark — to shout
  15. firm — decided
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. firm — a company
  20. root — of a word
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. row — a line

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