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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. root — of a plant
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. dip — to sink
  10. root — of a word
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. root — the cause
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. bear — the animal
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. craft — a skill
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. bear — the animal
  21. craft — boats
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. leaves — of a tree

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