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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. club — a group
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. root — the cause
  6. ball — a dance
  7. root — of a word
  8. ground — the earth
  9. craft — boats
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fork — in a road
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. root — of a plant
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. ground — a position
  17. current — of water
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — electric
  20. club — for golf
  21. club — for dancing
  22. craft — a skill
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ball — a great time

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