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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. root — of a plant
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pop — to visit
  7. rush — hurry
  8. kick — in football
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. band — a ring
  12. band — a music group
  13. pit — in a race
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. root — the cause
  16. pop — music
  17. craft — a skill
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. root — of a word
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. pit — a hole
  23. craft — boats
  24. pop — soda

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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