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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. root — of a word
  5. game — wild animals
  6. pop — music
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. craft — a skill
  9. root — of a plant
  10. snap — to click
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. track — a song
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stand — to bear
  17. craft — boats
  18. pop — soda
  19. pop — to visit
  20. track — to keep track
  21. root — the cause
  22. track — a path
  23. game — a match
  24. stand — on your feet

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