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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — clothes
  4. craft — a skill
  5. root — of a word
  6. can — a tin
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. file — a tool
  9. mine — for digging
  10. file — a document
  11. bear — the animal
  12. court — of law
  13. bear — the animal
  14. court — for sport
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. court — of a king
  17. can — a tin
  18. craft — boats
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. root — the cause
  22. suit — in cards
  23. can — to be able to
  24. root — of a plant

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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