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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. root — of a plant
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. row — to paddle
  5. rest — what's left
  6. root — of a word
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a skill
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. kick — in football
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. saw — the tool
  17. row — a line
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. saw — the tool
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pound — a weight
  22. root — the cause
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. rest — what's left

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