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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. root — of a plant
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. swing — to play on
  6. spring — the season
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. spell — letters
  9. root — the cause
  10. spell — magic
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. spring — a coil
  13. swing — music
  14. spring — of water
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. craft — boats
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. root — of a word
  22. craft — a skill
  23. spell — a short time
  24. pass — a permit

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