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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. root — of a word
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. row — to paddle
  5. content — the amount
  6. firm — steady
  7. root — the cause
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. bark — to shout
  10. lean — thin
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. craft — boats
  13. lean — to bend
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — a company
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. craft — a skill
  19. row — a line
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. toast — bread
  22. root — of a plant
  23. content — happy
  24. row — a quarrel

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