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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 116 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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. bass — the fish
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. root — the cause
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. mark — a grade
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bass — low music
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. craft — boats
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. root — of a word
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. root — of a plant
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. game — wild animals
  23. game — a match
  24. dip — to sink

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