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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. mug — a cup
  4. root — of a plant
  5. mine — for digging
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. content — happy
  9. mug — a face
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. craft — boats
  12. cue — a signal
  13. content — the amount
  14. cue — a hint
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. craft — a skill
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. rash — hasty
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. root — of a word
  23. rash — a series
  24. cue — for pool

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