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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. spell — a short time
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. root — of a plant
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. spell — letters
  8. craft — boats
  9. bulb — for light
  10. root — of a word
  11. spell — magic
  12. bore — to drill
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. stem — to come from
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. root — the cause
  23. bore — to tire
  24. arm — part of the body

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