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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. swing — in golf
  4. file — a line of people
  5. craft — a skill
  6. can — to be able to
  7. can — a tin
  8. march — music
  9. bound — tied together
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. can — a tin
  12. bound — certain
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bound — obliged
  15. swing — music
  16. craft — boats
  17. swing — to play on
  18. root — of a plant
  19. file — a document
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. march — the month
  22. march — the month
  23. root — of a word
  24. file — a tool

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