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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. root — the cause
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. craft — boats
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. root — of a plant
  9. bark — to shout
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. root — of a word
  14. date — the fruit
  15. capital — money
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. capital — a city

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