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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. root — of a plant
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. root — the cause
  10. lie — to recline
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. foot — a measure
  14. cold — an illness
  15. cold — not warm
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. craft — boats
  21. date — the fruit
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. root — of a word

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