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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. can — a tin
  3. root — of a word
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. spring — a coil
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. can — a tin
  8. craft — boats
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. hand — help
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. can — to be able to
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. root — the cause
  16. craft — a skill
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mark — a trace
  19. hand — in cards
  20. root — of a plant
  21. spring — of water
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. spring — the season

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