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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 116 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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. wake — a trail
  3. root — the cause
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. scale — size or range
  6. craft — boats
  7. craft — a skill
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. stock — goods
  12. stock — shares
  13. fine — all right
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. scale — in music
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. fine — high quality
  21. root — of a plant
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. root — of a word

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