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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. cue — a hint
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. root — of a plant
  5. tube — a container
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. cue — for pool
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. rest — a break
  11. craft — a skill
  12. tube — the underground
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. rest — what's left
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. root — the cause
  21. cue — a signal
  22. root — of a word
  23. foot — a measure
  24. craft — boats

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