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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 120 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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. clip — to cut
  3. clip — a video
  4. charge — in control
  5. key — the most important part
  6. root — the cause
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. craft — boats
  9. root — of a plant
  10. key — for a lock
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. root — of a word
  13. wind — moving air
  14. clip — for paper
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. key — in music
  17. craft — a skill
  18. charge — electricity
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. wind — moving air
  23. chair — a leader
  24. charge — a price

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