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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. spring — of water
  3. craft — a skill
  4. rock — a stone
  5. root — of a plant
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. spring — a coil
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fork — in a road
  11. kick — in football
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. plane — a tool
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. craft — boats
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. root — of a word
  23. rock — music
  24. root — the cause

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