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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. stem — to come from
  3. craft — a skill
  4. bank — for money
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bore — to tire
  8. root — of a word
  9. chip — for betting
  10. ball — a great time
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. ball — a dance
  13. bank — for money
  14. squash — the sport
  15. squash — to crush
  16. chip — to eat
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bank — of a river
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. root — of a plant
  22. root — the cause
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. craft — boats

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