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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 120 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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  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. drill — a practice
  2. root — the cause
  3. drill — the tool
  4. stock — shares
  5. squash — the sport
  6. craft — a skill
  7. root — of a word
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bear — the animal
  13. squash — to crush
  14. root — of a plant
  15. bear — the animal
  16. ball — a great time
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. stock — goods
  20. ball — a dance
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. drill — army training
  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