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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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468
Word bank
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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. rest — what's left
  3. root — of a plant
  4. craft — a skill
  5. rock — a stone
  6. land — a country
  7. root — the cause
  8. land — to come down
  9. rock — music
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. chest — of your body
  13. root — of a word
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. rest — a break
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. dip — to sink
  19. chest — of your body
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. craft — boats
  23. rest — what's left
  24. land — ground

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