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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. craft — boats
  3. mug — a face
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. bound — certain
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. craft — a skill
  8. lean — thin
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. capital — money
  12. bound — tied together
  13. capital — a city
  14. bound — obliged
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. root — of a plant
  18. mug — a cup
  19. rush — hurry
  20. root — the cause
  21. mug — to rob
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. rush — to hurry
  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