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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 spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. root — of a plant
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. club — for dancing
  5. object — to protest
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. object — a thing
  9. club — a group
  10. root — the cause
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — magic
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. craft — boats
  18. object — an aim
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. club — for golf
  21. chip — for betting
  22. spell — letters
  23. chip — to eat
  24. root — of a word

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