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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. wound — an injury
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. key — for a lock
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. prune — to trim
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. wound — an injury
  15. craft — boats
  16. key — the most important part
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. prune — to trim
  19. craft — a skill
  20. root — of a plant
  21. root — of a word
  22. dip — to sink
  23. root — the cause
  24. key — in music

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