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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. field — farmland
  4. root — of a word
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. root — of a plant
  7. club — for golf
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. root — the cause
  10. craft — a skill
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. field — for sport
  13. field — a subject
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. club — for dancing
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. club — a group
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. plane — a tool
  24. craft — boats

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