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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. mark — a grade
  3. current — happening now
  4. tear — from crying
  5. root — the cause
  6. tear — to rip
  7. craft — a skill
  8. root — of a plant
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. current — electric
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. mark — a trace
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. tear — from crying
  17. root — of a word
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. current — of water
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. date — the fruit

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