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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. club — for golf
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. cue — for pool
  5. root — the cause
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. club — a group
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. cue — a hint
  11. fine — all right
  12. club — for dancing
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. cue — a signal
  16. root — of a word
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. craft — a skill
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. bear — the animal
  22. fine — high quality
  23. root — of a plant
  24. bear — the animal

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