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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. net — in sport
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pop — music
  7. root — of a plant
  8. net — for catching
  9. root — the cause
  10. object — to protest
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. pop — soda
  13. object — an aim
  14. ground — the earth
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. object — a thing
  17. craft — a skill
  18. root — of a word
  19. pop — to visit
  20. craft — boats
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. ground — crushed
  23. ground — a position
  24. net — after costs

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